GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-SCZ040-042>045-047>051-301000- PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 500 AM EDT MON MAY 29 2006 ...HURRICANE AWARENESS WEEK... THE WEEK OF MAY 28 THROUGH JUNE 3 HAS BEEN DECLARED HURRICANE AWARENESS WEEK. CITIZENS SHOULD USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PREPARE FOR THE UPCOMING HURRICANE SEASON. DURING THIS WEEK...THE CHARLESTON NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE WILL TRANSMIT AWARENESS INFORMATION AND PREPAREDNESS TIPS EACH DAY TO HELP YOU DEVELOP A HURRICANE DISASTER PLAN. OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT... AMERICAN RED CROSS AND PROJECT IMPACT PARTNERS ALSO ENCOURAGE CITIZENS TO PLAN NOW. THE DANGERS ASSOCIATED WITH HURRICANES INCLUDE HEAVY RAIN...STORM SURGE...DAMAGING WINDS...TORNADOES...RIP CURRENTS...HIGH SURF...AND BEACH EROSION. STORM SURGE IS A LARGE DOME OF WATER...OFTEN 50 TO 100 MILES WIDE... THAT SWEEPS ACROSS THE COASTLINE MAINLY TO THE RIGHT OF WHERE A HURRICANE MAKES LANDFALL. THE SURGE OF HIGH WATER...TOPPED BY WAVE ACTION IS DEVASTATING. THE STRONGER THE HURRICANE AND THE SHALLOWER THE COASTAL SHELF...THE HIGHER THE SURGE WILL BE. ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST... STORM SURGE IS THE GREATEST HAZARD TO LIFE AND PROPERTY. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS...74 MPH OR GREATER...CAN DESTROY POORLY CONSTRUCTED BUILDINGS AND MOBILE HOMES. DEBRIS...SUCH AS SIGNS... ROOFING MATERIAL...AND SMALL ITEMS LEFT OUTSIDE...BECOME FLYING MISSILES IN HURRICANES. WINDS OFTEN STAY ABOVE HURRICANE STRENGTH WELL INLAND. HURRICANE HUGO BATTERED CHARLOTTE NORTH CAROLINA WITH GUSTS TO OVER 75 MPH...DOWNING TREES AND POWER LINES AND CAUSING MASSIVE DESTRUCTION. WIDESPREAD TORRENTIAL RAINS...OFTEN IN EXCESS OF 6 INCHES...CAN PRODUCE DEADLY AND DESTRUCTIVE FLOODS. THIS IS THE MAJOR HAZARD TO AREAS WELL INLAND. FLOODING FROM HURRICANE FLOYD CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE OVER EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA IN 1999. THERE WERE ALSO OVER FIFTY DEATHS IN FLOYD...DUE PRIMARILY TO FRESH WATER FLOODING. IN 2005...TROPICAL STORM TAMMY PRODUCED BETWEEN 10 AND 15 INCHES OF RAIN ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST GEORGIA WHICH RESULTED IN WIDESPREAD FLOODING. HURRICANES ALSO PRODUCE TORNADOES...WHICH ADDS TO THEIR DESTRUCTIVE POWER. THESE TORNADOES MOST OFTEN OCCUR IN THUNDERSTORMS EMBEDDED IN RAIN BANDS WELL AWAY FROM THE CENTER OF THE HURRICANE. HOWEVER...THEY CAN ALSO OCCUR NEAR THE EYE WALL. IN SEPTEMBER OF 2004...THE REMNANTS OF HURRICANE FRANCES PRODUCED 20 CONFIRMED TORNADOES IN SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA. HURRICANES ALSO PRODUCE HIGH SURF WHICH CAN BE 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 FLOWING QUICKLY AWAY FROM LAND. HIGH SURF ASSOCIATED WITH TROPICAL STORM TAMMY PRODUCE EXTENSIVE BEACH EROSION ALONG THE COAST OF SOUTHERN SOUTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA IN 2005. SEVERAL BEACH HOMES WERE ALSO DESTROYED AT EDISTO BEACH. DURING THE REMAINDER OF HURRICANE AWARENESS WEEK...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILL GIVE HELPFUL TIPS TO PREPARE FOR THE UPCOMING HURRICANE SEASON. $$