CTZ001-013-MAZ001-025-NYZ032-033-038>043-047>054-058>061-063>066-
082>084-VTZ013>015-051200-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
800 AM EDT FRI MAY 4 2012 

...SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK CONTINUES...

APRIL 29 TO MAY 5 IS SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN NEW YORK...VERMONT...
CONNECTICUT...AND MASSACHUSETTS. ALL RESIDENTS ARE URGED TO BE WEATHER 
READY BY PROTECTING THEMSELVES FROM THE HAZARDS OF FLOODING...
TORNADOES...AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS.

TODAY THE FOCUS IS ON FLASH FLOODING.

FLASH FLOODING IS A RAPID RISE...TYPICALLY WITHIN SIX HOURS...OF 
WATER ALONG A STREAM OR LOW LYING URBAN AREA. DURING THE 
SUMMER...THE MOST COMMON CAUSE OF FLASH FLOODING IS DOWNPOURS 
ASSOCIATED WITH THUNDERSTORMS. HOWEVER...FLASH FLOODING CAN ALSO 
RESULT FROM DAM BREAKS AND HEAVY RAIN FROM TROPICAL STORMS. FLASH 
FLOODING IS MEANT TO IMPLY THE THREAT IS URGENT.

EASTERN NEW YORK AND WESTERN NEW ENGLAND ARE PARTICULARLY 
SUSCEPTIBLE TO FLASH FLOODING BECAUSE OF TOPOGRAPHY. HEAVY RAIN 
FALLING ON STEEP TERRAIN CREATES AN IDEAL SITUATION FOR FLASH 
FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING PRESENTS A THREAT TO THE URBAN MOTORIST 
AS WELL. UNDERPASSES CAN FILL RAPIDLY WITH WATER. DRIVING INTO A 
FLOODED UNDERPASS CAN QUICKLY PUT YOU IN FIVE OR SIX FEET OF 
WATER. IN 2011...TROPICAL STORM IRENE AND THE REMNANTS OF TROPICAL 
STORM LEE BROUGHT WIDESPREAD FLASH FLOODING TO THE REGION.

FLASH FLOODING CAN BE DEADLY. NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF 
WATER. ALMOST HALF OF ALL FLASH FLOOD RELATED DEATHS OCCUR IN 
AUTOMOBILES. TWO FEET OF FLOWING WATER WILL CAUSE MOST CARS TO 
FLOAT...SMALLER CARS WILL FLOAT IN LESS WATER. FLOODING HAZARDS 
ARE INCREASED AT NIGHT WHEN VISIBILITY IS REDUCED. THE NATIONAL 
WEATHER SERVICE URGES YOU TO RESPECT ALL BARRIERS THAT WARN OF 
FLOODED ROADS. TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN. 

THOSE WITH INTERESTS ALONG RIVERS...CREEKS AND STREAMS SHOULD 
REMAIN ALERT FOR FLASH FLOODING. CAMPERS ARE PARTICULARLY AT RISK. 
A NORMALLY PLACID STREAM CAN SWELL TO A 10 FOOT DEEP RAGING RIVER 
IN LESS THAN AN HOUR IF THUNDERSTORM DOWNPOURS INUNDATE AN AREA. 
REMEMBER...SIX INCHES OF FLOWING WATER IS OFTEN ENOUGH TO KNOCK A 
PERSON OFF THEIR FEET. WHEN OUTDOORS...KEEP ALERT FOR...MUDDY 
RAPIDLY RISING STREAMS...OR A LOUD ROARING SOUND UPSTREAM. IF 
OBSERVED...HEAD FOR HIGHER GROUND IMEDIATELY.

NOAA WEATHER RADIO OFFERS THE BEST WAY TO STAY IN TOUCH WITH 
WEATHER CONDITIONS WHETHER AT HOME...WORK OR PLAY. NOAA WEATHER 
RADIO PROVIDES CONTINUOUS BROADCASTS OF WEATHER INFORMATION...WITH 
IMMEDIATE RELAY OF FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS. THE NATIONAL WEATHER 
SERVICE RECOMMENDS EVERYONE HAVE ACCESS TO A NOAA WEATHER RADIO.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK...GO TO OUR 
WEB SITE WWW.WEATHER.GOV. THEN CLICK ON EASTERN NEW YORK OR 
WESTERN NEW ENGLAND. FINALLY...SELECT OUR SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS 
LINK. 

TOMORROW WE CONCLUDE SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK WITH A LOOK 
BACK AT THE KEY POINTS CONCERNING SEVERE WEATHER.
$$
DIRIENZO