NOUS42 KCHS 061313
PNSCHS
GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-SCZ040-042>045-047>052-071100-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
600 AM EST THU DEC 6 2012

...WINTER WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK CONTINUES ACROSS SOUTH CAROLINA AND 
GEORGIA...

TODAY WE WILL DISCUSS THE IMPACTS OF COLD TEMPERATURES AND WIND 
CHILL.  

THE COLDEST AVERAGE DAY EACH YEAR OCCURS IN MID JANUARY...WHEN THE 
AVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURE TOPS OUT IN THE 55-60F RANGE AND AVERAGE 
LOW TEMPERATURES ARE IN THE 30S. HOWEVER...MUCH COLDER AIR 
OCCASIONALLY VISITS SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA. 
OFTEN...THIS COLD AIR IS ACCOMPANIED BY WIND AND WIND CHILL.

THE COLDEST TEMPERATURES ON RECORD OCCURRED DURING AN OUTBREAK OF 
ARCTIC AIR IN JANUARY 1985. ON JANUARY 21...THE TEMPERATURE
FELL TO 3 DEGREES ABOVE ZERO AT THE SAVANNAH AIRPORT AND TO 6 
DEGREES AT THE CHARLESTON AIRPORT. THESE FRIGID TEMPERATURES
CAN FREEZE PIPES. 

LOW TEMPERATURES IN THE TEENS AND 20S ARE NOT UNCOMMON IN OUR 
REGION. WHEN THESE COLD TEMPERATURES COMBINE WITH STRONG WINDS...THE 
RESULTING WIND CHILL CAN BECOME HAZARDOUS. FOR EXAMPLE...WHEN THE 
TEMPERATURE IS 25 DEGREES...WINDS AVERAGING 25 MPH WILL PRODUCE A 
WIND CHILL OF 9 DEGREES.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON SC WILL ISSUE A WIND 
CHILL ADVISORY WHEN THE COMBINATION OF COLD AIR AND WIND PRODUCES AN 
APPARENT TEMPERATURE BETWEEN 5 DEGREES ABOVE AND 9 DEGREES BELOW 
ZERO. DURING RARE OCCASIONS WHEN APPARENT TEMPERATURES FALL TO 10 
DEGREES BELOW ZERO OR COLDER...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILL 
ISSUE A WIND CHILL WARNING. 

IF YOU ARE NOT PROPERLY DRESSED...COLD WEATHER CAN QUICKLY PRODUCE 
HYPOTHERMIA OR FROSTBITE. FOR ALL COLD WEATHER EVENTS...YOU SHOULD 
DRESS IN WARM CLOTHES...INCLUDING A HAT...GLOVES OR MITTENS AND A 
SCARF BEFORE YOU VENTURE OUTSIDE. IF YOU ARE SENSITIVE TO THE 
COLD...YOU SHOULD AVOID LEAVING A HEATED...INDOOR ENVIRONMENT 
ESPECIALLY WHEN WIND CHILL ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT. WHEN WIND CHILL 
WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT...YOU ARE STRONGLY URGED TO REMAIN IN A 
HEATED BUILDING UNLESS YOU ARE PROPERLY EQUIPPED WITH SUBSTANTIAL 
WINTER WEATHER CLOTHING.      

YOUR RESPONSE TO NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OUTLOOKS...WATCHES...
WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES CAN DICTATE THE SUCCESS OF OUR PRODUCTS. 
FRIDAY...WE WILL BRIEFLY DISCUSS WINTER WEATHER PREPAREDNESS PLANS. 
  
CHECK OUT ADDITIONAL WINTER WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK INFORMATION ON 
OUR WEB PAGE AT WWW/ERH.NOAA.GOV/CHS/...AS WELL ON FACEBOOK AT 
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/US.NATIONALWEATHERSERVICE.CHARLESTONSC.GOV. YOU CAN 
ALSO FOLLOW @NWSCHARLESTONSC ON TWITTER.  

$$