PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
500 AM EST MON FEB 21 2005

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

THUNDERSTORMS AFFECT RELATIVELY SMALL AREAS WHEN COMPARED TO
HURRICANES AND WINTER STORMS. A TYPICAL THUNDERSTORM IS 15 MILES IN
DIAMETER AND LASTS AN AVERAGE OF 30 MINUTES.

DESPITE THEIR SMALL SIZE...ALL THUNDERSTORMS ARE DANGEROUS. ALL
THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE LIGHTNING WHICH KILLS MORE PEOPLE EACH YEAR
THAN TORNADOES. HEAVY RAIN FROM THUNDERSTORMS CAN LEAD TO FLASH
FLOODING. STRONG WINDS...HAIL AND TORNADOES ARE ALSO PRODUCED BY
SOME THUNDERSTORMS. ONLY ABOUT 10 PERCENT OF ALL THUNDERSTORMS IN THE
UNITED STATES EACH YEAR ARE CONSIDERED TO BE SEVERE.

KNOW YOUR SAFETY RULES. BEFORE THE STORM...KNOW WHAT COUNTY IN
WHICH YOU LIVE AND WORK. KEEP A NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR AM/FM RADIO
WITH YOU. WATCH FOR SIGNS OF APPROACHING WEATHER AND KNOW WHAT A
WATCH AND WARNING MEANS.

WHEN THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER...A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WATCH WILL BE ISSUED. IF A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM IS
OCCURRING OR IS IMMINENT AS INDICATED BY RADAR...A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WARNING WILL BE ISSUED FOR THE AFFECTED COUNTY...PART OF
A COUNTY OR SEVERAL COUNTIES.

THERE MAY BE TIMES WHEN A WATCH OR WARNING IS NOT IN EFFECT AND
SEVERE WEATHER DEVELOPS SUDDENLY. NOW IS A GOOD TIME TO EDUCATE
YOURSELF.

WHEN THE THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES...MOVE TO A STURDY BUILDING OR
CAR. GET OUT OF BOATS AND AWAY FROM WATER. AVOID ISOLATED TREES
OR LIGHT POLES. AVOID USING ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES IF POSSIBLE.

CONTACT THE NEAREST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE...COUNTY EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS OFFICE OR THE AMERICAN RED CROSS FOR MORE INFORMATION
ABOUT THUNDERSTORM SAFETY RULES.

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