NOUS42 KCHS 210935
PNSCHS
GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-SCZ040-042>045-047>051-221000-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
500 AM EST TUE FEB 20 2007

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

THE DANGERS ASSOCIATED WITH SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS INCLUDE DAMAGING
WINDS AND LARGE HAIL.

STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MOST THUNDERSTORM WIND
DAMAGE. THESE WINDS CAN REACH OVER 100 MPH IN EXTREME CASES. ONE TYPE
OF STRAIGHT LINE WIND CALLED A DOWNBURST CAN BE EXTREMELY
DANGEROUS TO AVIATION. A DOWNBURST IS NORMALLY A SMALL AREA OF
RAPIDLY DESCENDING AIR BENEATH A THUNDERSTORM. IN EXTREME CASES...
STRAIGHT LINE WINDS CAN REACH SPEEDS EQUAL TO A STRONG TORNADO. THIS
COULD CAUSE SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO SOME BUILDINGS.

ANOTHER DANGER ASSOCIATED WITH SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS LARGE HAIL.
STRONG RISING CURRENTS OF AIR WITHIN A STORM CALLED UPDRAFTS CARRY
WATER DROPLETS TO A HEIGHT WHERE FREEZING OCCURS. ICE PARTICLES GROW
IN SIZE FINALLY BECOMING TOO HEAVY TO BE SUPPORTED BY THE UPDRAFT...
AND THEN FALL TO THE GROUND. LARGE HAILSTONES CAN FALL AT SPEEDS
FASTER THAN 100 MPH.

LARGE HAIL CAUSES OVER A BILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF DAMAGE EACH YEAR
TO PROPERTY AND CROPS. GOLF BALL SIZE AND LARGER HAIL OFTEN OCCURS
JUST BEFORE A TORNADO DEVELOPS.

$$