PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
1230 AM EST MAR 13 2005

THIS IS SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK FOR NORTH CAROLINA...AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO PREPARE FOR ANOTHER SEASON OF DANGEROUS
WEATHER.

TODAY WE REVIEW SOME 2004 SEVERE WEATHER STATISTICS FOR NORTH
CAROLINA...AND WE WILL DISCUSS ALL HAZARDS NOAA WEATHER RADIO.

IN 2004...THERE WERE 70 TORNADOES IN NORTH CAROLINA. ABOUT 
HALF OCCURRED IN SEPTEMBER...ASSOCIATED WITH THE REMNANTS OF 
TROPICAL CYCLONES. MOST WERE WEAK…RATED AT F0 STRENGTH WITH 
WIND LESS THAN 73 MPH. THERE WERE 2 RATED AT F2 STRENGTH WITH 
WIND 113-157 MPH. 3 PEOPLE WERE KILLED BY TORNADOES…IN THE EARLY 
MORNING OF FRIDAY AUGUST 13 AT ROCKY POINT IN PENDER COUNTY. 
STATWIDE…37 PEOPLE WERE INJURED BY TORNADOES…WITH MORE THAN $3 
MILLION IN DAMAGE.

LIGHTNING KILLED 1 AND INJURED 3 PEOPLE. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND 
HIGH WINDS KILLLED 3…INJURED 7 AND CAUSED $4 MILLION IN DAMAGE.

ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO RECEIVE THE LATEST INFORMATION ON SEVERE
WEATHER IS TO LISTEN TO ALL HAZARDS NOAA WEATHER RADIO. IT IS
OPERATED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE 24 HOURS A DAY... AND
UPDATED WEATHER WARNINGS AND FORECASTS WILL BE HEARD FIRST ON ALL
HAZARDS NOAA WEATHER RADIO.

ALL HAZARDS NOAA WEATHER RADIOS ARE AVAILABLE WHERE RADIOS ARE SOLD.
A WEATHER RADIO WITH A WARNING ALARM CAN BE A LIFESAVER IN HOMES...
SCHOOLS...HOSPITALS...CHURCHES...DAY CARE CENTERS...AND OTHER PRIVATE
BUSINESSES. GET ONE ABLE TO OPERATE ON BATTERIES IN CASE OF A POWER
FAILURE.

WE ENCOURAGE YOU, OUR LISTENERS...TO TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT ALL
HAZARDS NOAA WEATHER RADIO. THEY ALSO MAKE THE PERFECT GIFT.

FOR MORE INFORMATION...GO TO
HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/SAFETY.PHP