NOUS42 KCHS 081100
PNSCHS

GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-090330-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
600 AM EST TUE FEB 8 2011

...GEORGIA SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK CONTINUES THROUGH 
SATURDAY...

THE DANGERS ASSOCIATED WITH SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS INCLUDE DAMAGING
WINDS AND LARGE HAIL.

STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS OCCUR MUCH MORE FREQUENTLY THAN TORNADOES AND 
INDEED PRODUCE MOST THUNDERSTORM WIND DAMAGE. THESE THUNDERSTORM 
WINDS CAN EXCEED 100 MPH IN EXTREME CASES AND CAN PRODUCE DAMAGE
EQUIVALENT TO THAT OF A STRONG TORNADO. STRAIGHT LINE WINDS OCCUR
WHEN COLD AIR RAPIDLY DESCENDS FROM A THUNDERSTORM. TWO TYPES OF
STRAIGHT-LINE WIND EVENTS...DOWNBURSTS AND MICROBURSTS...
TYPICALLY IMPACT LIMITED AREAS. HOWEVER...THESE PHENOMENA
REPRESENT AN EXTREME DANGER TO AVIATION...OFTEN PRODUCE
SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE AND CAN PRODUCE FATALITIES AND INJURIES.

ANOTHER DANGER ASSOCIATED WITH SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS LARGE HAIL.
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE HAIL THE SIZE OF QUARTERS OR LARGER. 
WITHIN A THUNDERSTORM...STRONG RISING CURRENTS OF AIR CALLED
UPDRAFTS CARRY WATER DROPLETS TO GREAT HEIGHTS WHERE FREEZING
OCCURS. THE RESULTING HAIL GROWS IN SIZE UNTIL IT BECOMES TOO 
HEAVY TO BE SUPPORTED BY THE UPDRAFT...THEN IT FALLS TOWARD THE
GROUND. MOST HAIL WILL MELT BEFORE REACHING THE GROUND. HOWEVER...
THE LARGEST HAILSTONES CAN FALL AT SPEEDS FASTER THAN 100 MPH...
MINIMIZING MELTING AND ALLOWING LARGE DAMAGING HAILSTONES TO REACH
THE SURFACE.

LARGE HAIL CAUSES OVER A BILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF PROPERTY AND
CROP DAMAGE EACH YEAR. HAIL THE SIZE OF GOLF BALLS OR LARGER 
OFTEN OCCURS JUST BEFORE A TORNADO DEVELOPS OR IN THE VICINITY OF 
TORNADOES.

TOMORROW WE WILL EXAMINE THE DANGERS OF TORNADOES. 

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