NOUS42 KILM 070821
PNSILM

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
800 AM EDT WED MAR 07 2012

...SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA MARCH 
04 TO MARCH 10...

TORNADOES ARE ONE OF NATURE'S MOST VIOLENT PHENOMENA. THE PEAK 
TORNADO SEASON IN THE CAROLINAS OCCURS IN THE MONTHS OF 
MARCH...APRIL AND MAY. HOWEVER...TORNADOES HAVE TOUCHED DOWN IN ALL 
MONTHS. 

MOST TORNADO DEATHS AND INJURIES ACROSS THE CAROLINAS OCCUR 
OUTDOORS, IN AUTOMOBILES, AND MOBILE HOMES. NEARLY TWO THIRDS OF ALL 
TORNADO FATALITIES OCCUR IN MOBILE HOMES AND MANY OF THESE AT NIGHT. 
WHEN A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA OR IF YOU SPOT A 
TORNADO...SEEK SHELTER IN A SUBSTANTIAL BUILDING. THE SAFEST PLACE 
IS IN AN INTERIOR BATHROOM OR CLOSET. PUT AS MANY WALLS BETWEEN YOU 
AND THE OUTSIDE AS POSSIBLE. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AS DEBRIS PICKED 
UP BY A TORNADO CAN EASILY SHATTER A WINDOW AND ENTER YOUR HOUSE.

IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTDOORS...SEEK SHELTER IN A LOW SPOT LIKE A DITCH 
OR CULVERT. YOU WANT TO GET AS LOW AS POSSIBLE TO PROTECT YOURSELF 
FROM THE FLYING DEBRIS IN A TORNADO. THE DEBRIS WITHIN THE TORNADO 
IS WHAT CAUSES NEARLY ALL OF THE INJURIES AND DEATHS. IF YOU ARE IN 
A CAR AND THREATENED BY A TORNADO...ABANDON YOUR VEHICLE AND SEEK 
SHELTER IN A SUBSTANTIAL STRUCTURE OR IN A DITCH. NEVER TRY TO 
OUTRUN A TORNADO IN A VEHICLE. TORNADOES DO NOT TRAVEL IN STRAIGHT 
LINES AND IT CAN BE VERY DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE WHAT DIRECTION THE 
TORNADO IS MOVING. 

ALSO NEVER SEEK SHELTER FROM A TORNADO UNDER AN OVERPASS. THERE IS 
NO SAFE PLACE UNDER AN OVERPASS. IN FACT SEEKING SHELTER UNDER AN 
OVERPASS PUTS YOU MORE AT RISK FROM VIOLENT WINDS AND FLYING DEBRIS. 

PERHAPS THE GREATEST DANGER FACED BY RESIDENTS OF THE CAROLINAS IS 
NIGHTTIME TORNADOES. A RECENT SURVEY FOUND THAT MOST PEOPLE ACQUIRE 
WEATHER INFORMATION BY WATCHING LOCAL OR NATIONAL TELEVISION 
STATIONS OR VIA THE INTERNET. THESE SOURCES GENERALLY DO NOT PROVIDE 
A MECHANISM OR ASSISTANCE TO ALERT USERS OF APPROACHING TORNADOES 
DURING THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD. CONVERSELY, MOST NOAA WEATHER RADIOS 
ARE PROGRAMMABLE AND WILL TURN ON IN THE EVENT OF A TORNADO WARNING 
ANY TIME DAY OR NIGHT. THIS DISTINGUISHES NOAA WEATHER RADIO AS ONE 
OF THE FEW WAYS TO ALERT PEOPLE WHO ARE SLEEPING OF APPROACHING 
DANGEROUS WEATHER. 

ANY TIME A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA...TAKE ACTION TO 
PROTECT YOUR LIFE AS WELL AS THE LIVES OF YOUR FAMILY. THE 
WATCH/WARNING PROCESS WILL BE COVERED IN MORE DETAIL ON FRIDAY. 

$$