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CTZ005>012-NJZ002>006-011-NYZ067>081-051200-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE UPTON NY
1200 PM EDT TUE APR 4 2006

...THIS IS SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SEVERAL NEW YORK 
STATE AGENCIES IS PROMOTING HAZARDOUS WEATHER SAFETY FOR ALL PEOPLE.

THIS STATEMENT COVERS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS.

SINCE 1996...HIGH WINDS PRODUCED FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE 
DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR 13 DEATHS AND 92 INJURIES ACROSS THE 
TRI-STATE REGION. ALTHOUGH HAIL CAN DAMAGE PROPERTY AND INJURE 
PEOPLE AND ANIMALS...IT RARELY KILLS.

CLIMATOLOGICALLY...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OCCUR MOST FREQUENTLY DURING 
THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS FROM JUNE THROUGH AUGUST. A TYPICAL 
EXAMPLE WOULD BE RAPIDLY DEVELOPING SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FORMING IN 
A MOIST UNSTABLE AIR MASS AHEAD OF A QUICK MOVING STRONG COLD FRONT. 
MOST RECENT DAMAGE WAS THE RESULT OF STRONG WIND GUSTS ALONG THE 
LEADING EDGE OF A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS. WINDS THAT BLOW FROM ONE 
DIRECTION ARE CALLED STRAIGHT LINE WINDS.

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOKS ARE ISSUED BY THE NWS STORM PREDICTION 
CENTER UP TO 3 DAYS BEFORE A POTENTIAL EVENT AND BY NWS UPTON NY UP 
TO 24 HOURS BEFORE A POTENTIAL EVENT.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCHES ARE ISSUED BY THE NWS STORM PREDICTION 
CENTER WITH LEAD TIMES UP TO 6 HOURS. A WATCH MEANS THAT WEATHER 
CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS 
IN AND AROUND A RECTANGULAR AREA...USUALLY COVERING A FEW HUNDRED 
SQUARE MILES.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNINGS ARE ISSUED BY YOUR NATIONAL WEATHER 
SERVICE OFFICE ON LONG ISLAND FOR 11 COUNTIES IN SOUTHEAST NEW 
YORK...INCLUDING THE LOWER HUDSON VALLEY...NEW YORK CITY AND LONG 
ISLAND...5 COUNTIES IN NORTHEAST NEW JERSEY AND 4 COUNTIES IN 
SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT. WE USE A COMBINATION OF DOPPLER RADAR AND 
VOLUNTEER SKYWARN SPOTTER OBSERVATIONS TO ISSUE WARNINGS. DURING 
2005...WE ISSUED 95 SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNINGS WITH A FORECAST 
ACCURACY OF 82 PERCENT AND AN AVERAGE LEAD TIME OF 15 MINUTES. WHEN 
A WARNING IS ISSUED...TAKE PROTECTIVE ACTION TO SAVE YOUR LIFE OR 
MINIMIZE DAMAGE TO YOUR PROPERTY.

WHEN YOU NEED TIMELY INFORMATION...TUNE TO NOAA ALL HAZARDS WEATHER 
RADIO...THE OFFICIAL VOICE OF THE NWS.

THE NEXT STATEMENT COVERS SEVERE WEATHER PREPAREDNESS AND SAFETY.

$$
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