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PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
500 AM EST MON FEB 20 2006

...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. LIGHTNING KILLED ONE PERSON IN SOUTH-COASTAL SOUTH
CAROLINA IN BOTH 2004 AND 2005.

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 ALL HAZARDS OR
AM/FM RADIO WITH YOU. WATCH FOR SIGNS OF APPROACHING WEATHER AND KNOW
WHAT A WATCH AND WARNING MEAN.

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 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON...YOUR LOCAL
COUNTY EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS OFFICE OR THE AMERICAN RED CROSS FOR
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THUNDERSTORM SAFETY RULES.

$$