NOUS42 KCHS 021100
PNSCHS
SCZ040-042>045-047>052-030400-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
600 AM EST WED MAR 2 2011

...SOUTH CAROLINA SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK - TORNADOES...

TORNADOES OCCUR RARELY AND IMPACT ONLY VERY SMALL AREAS AS
COMPARED TO THUNDERSTORMS...TROPICAL CYCLONES AND WINTER STORMS.
HOWEVER...AT THEIR WORST TORNADOES PRODUCE THE MOST VIOLENT WEATHER
ON EARTH.

A TORNADO FORMS AS AN INTENSE AND CONCENTRATED ROTATING COLUMN OF
AIR WHICH EXTENDS FROM A THUNDERSTORM TO THE GROUND. IF THE
ROTATING COLUMN OF AIR OCCURS OVER THE WATER...IT IS CALLED A
WATERSPOUT. IF THE COLUMN DOES NOT REACH THE GROUND...IT IS CALLED
A FUNNEL CLOUD.

WHEN A SIGNIFICANT THREAT FOR TORNADOES EXISTS...THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE WILL ISSUE A TORNADO WATCH FOR A DURATION OF
SEVERAL HOURS. IF NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR OR
TRAINED SPOTTERS INDICATE THAT A TORNADO IS OCCURRING OR
IMMINENT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILL ISSUE A TORNADO
WARNING FOR THE AFFECTED COUNTY...PART OF A COUNTY OR GROUP OF
COUNTIES. TORNADO WARNINGS TYPICALLY LAST ONE HALF TO ONE HOUR. 
IF THE TORNADO THREAT PERSISTS...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILL
ISSUE ADDITIONAL TORNADO WARNINGS.

TORNADOES OCCASIONALLY DEVELOP RAPIDLY WHEN NO WATCH OR WARNING IS
IN EFFECT. YOU SHOULD ALWAYS TAKE ACTION TO SAVE YOUR LIFE IF YOU
OBSERVE A TORNADO. 

HERE ARE SOME FACTS ABOUT TORNADOES...

TORNADOES CAN OCCUR ANY TIME OF YEAR. WHILE SPRING IS THE MOST ACTIVE
SEASON IN THE SOUTHEASTERN STATES...TORNADOES CAN BE ASSOCIATED WITH
DECAYING TROPICAL SYSTEMS DURING THE SUMMER AND AUTUMN. IN EARLY
SEPTEMBER 2004...THE REMNANTS OF HURRICANE FRANCES SPAWNED 20
TORNADOES ACROSS SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AND SOUTH-COASTAL SOUTH
CAROLINA.

2008 WAS A VERY ACTIVE YEAR FOR TORNADOES IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
THERE WERE 64 TORNADOES WHICH IS OVER 3 TIMES ABOVE NORMAL.
15 PEOPLE WERE INJURED...BUT FORTUNATELY THERE WERE NO FATALITIES.

TORNADOES USUALLY MOVE FROM THE SOUTHWEST TO THE NORTHEAST AT
AN AVERAGE FORWARD SPEED OF 30 MPH. HOWEVER...TORNADOES SOMETIMES
MOVE AS FAST AS 70 MPH. NO PLACE IS SAFE FROM TORNADOES.

TORNADOES IN THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES ARE NORMALLY EMBEDDED
IN HEAVY RAIN WHICH MAKES SPOTTING THEM DIFFICULT.

HERE ARE SOME GENERAL RULES OF SAFETY IN TORNADOES.

BEFORE THE STORM...DEVELOP A FAMILY PLAN FOR HOME...WORK...SCHOOL
AND WHEN OUTDOORS. YOU SHOULD CONDUCT FREQUENT DRILLS AND KNOW
THE COUNTY WHERE YOU ARE LOCATED.

IF TORNADOES WILL OCCUR AT NIGHT WHEN YOU ARE SLEEPING...REMAIN
CLOSE TO A NOAA WEATHER RADIO.

DURING A TORNADO...MOVE TO A PRE-DESIGNATED SHELTER AREA...SUCH AS A
BASEMENT OR A SMALL INTERIOR...WINDOWLESS ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR. 

WHEN A TORNADO APPROACHES...DO NOT OPEN WINDOWS. OPEN WINDOWS 
ALLOW DAMAGING WINDS TO ENTER THE BUILDING...WHICH CAN CAUSE SERIOUS
INJURY AND STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. INSTEAD...STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS
AND GO TO A SAFE PLACE IMMEDIATELY.

GET OUT OF AUTOMOBILES. IF CAUGHT OUTSIDE MOVE TO A LOW-LYING AREA.
HOWEVER...AVOID DRAINAGE DITCHES OR OTHER AREAS SUBJECT TO
FLOODING. REMEMBER THAT MOBILE HOMES...EVEN IF TIED DOWN...OFFER
LITTLE PROTECTION FROM TORNADOES AND SHOULD BE ABANDONED.

TOMORROW WE WILL LOOK AT THE DANGERS OF FLASH FLOODING. 

$$