NOUS42 KCHS 291000
PNSCHS

GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-SCZ040-042>045-047>051-301000-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
600 AM EDT TUE MAY 29 2012

...NATIONAL HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS WEEK CONTINUES...

TODAY WE WILL DISCUSS ADDITIONAL HURRICANE HAZARDS INCLUDING FLOODING
RAINFALL...TORNADOES AND SURF ZONE IMPACTS SUCH AS RIP CURRENTS...HIGH
SURF...AND BEACH EROSION.

...FLOODING RAINFALL...
WIDESPREAD TORRENTIAL RAINS...OFTEN EXCEEDING 6 INCHES...CAN PRODUCE 
DEADLY AND DESTRUCTIVE FLOODS. IN FACT...FRESH WATER FLOODING ACCOUNTS 
FOR THE MOST DEATHS FROM TROPICAL SYSTEMS. IN 2005...TROPICAL STORM 
TAMMY PRODUCED BETWEEN 10 AND 15 INCHES OF RAIN AND WIDESPREAD 
FLOODING ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST GEORGIA.

...TORNADOES...
TROPICAL CYCLONES CAN CAUSE TORNADOES IN RAIN BANDS WELL AWAY FROM 
THE CENTER AS WELL AS NEAR THE CENTER IN AND AROUND THE EYE WALL. 
IN 2004...THE REMNANTS OF HURRICANE FRANCES...WHICH HAD MADE LANDFALL
IN SOUTHEAST FLORIDA...PRODUCED 20 CONFIRMED TORNADOES IN SOUTHEAST 
SOUTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA.

...RIP CURRENTS/HIGH SURF/BEACH EROSION...
TROPICAL CYCLONES...EVEN THOSE THAT REMAIN WELL OFFSHORE...CAN
PRODUCE HIGH SURF WHICH IS DANGEROUS TO ANYONE THAT VENTURES
INTO THE WATER. THE HIGH SURF CAUSES EXTENSIVE BEACH EROSION AND
INCREASES THE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS. RIP CURRENTS ARE NARROW
CHANNELS OF WATER WHICH FLOW QUICKLY AWAY FROM LAND AND CAN BE 
DEADLY...ESPECIALLY FOR INEXPERIENCED SWIMMERS. HIGH SURF 
ASSOCIATED WITH TROPICAL STORM TAMMY IN 2005 PRODUCED EXTENSIVE BEACH
EROSION ALONG THE COAST OF SOUTHERN SOUTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHEAST 
GEORGIA...AND SEVERAL BEACH HOMES WERE DESTROYED AT EDISTO BEACH. 
IN ADDITION...HURRICANE EARL IN 2010 CAUSED BREAKERS EXCEEDING 10 FEET
AT THE COAST EVEN THOUGH THE STORM REMAINED WELL OFFSHORE. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND ON THE WEB AT THE FOLLOWING 
ADDRESSES /ALL IN LOWERCASE LETTERS/...

NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER...HTTP://NHC.NOAA.GOV/PREPARE 
CHARLESTON NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE...HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/CHS/TROPICAL.SHTML

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