PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
500 AM EST TUE MAR 14 2006

THIS IS SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK FOR NORTH CAROLINA. IT IS TIME
TO PREPARE FOR ANOTHER SEASON OF DANGEROUS WEATHER.

ON WEDNESDAY...BETWEEN 900 AND 1000 AM...THE NATIONAL WEATHER 
SERVICE WILL CONDUCT A TORNADO DRILL WITH NOAA WEATHER RADIO. THIS 
IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SCHOOLS...WORKPLACES AND HOMES TO DRILL...AND 
FOR YOU TO REVIEW TORNADO SAFETY PROCEDURES AND DEVELOP A SAFETY 
PLAN.

HERE ARE SOME KEY TORNADO-RELATED TERMS WHICH YOU SHOULD KNOW...

A FUNNEL CLOUD IS A ROTATING FUNNEL-SHAPED CLOUD EXTENDING
DOWNWARD...USUALLY FROM A THUNDERSTORM CLOUD...BUT NOT IN
CONTACT WITH THE GROUND.

A TORNADO IS A FUNNEL CLOUD IN CONTACT WITH THE GROUND...USUALLY
EXTENDING FROM A THUNDERSTORM.

A TORNADO WATCH IS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STORM
PREDICTION CENTER FOR A LARGE AREA WHERE CONDITIONS ARE RIPE FOR
TORNADO DEVELOPMENT.

A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED BY A LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
OFFICE WHEN A TORNADO HAS BEEN REPORTED ON THE GROUND OR DETECTED
BY DOPPLER RADAR.

IF A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA...OR IF YOU SEE OR HEAR
A TORNADO...GET AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND MOVE TO SHELTER...SUCH AS AN
INTERIOR ROOM...BATHROOM...CLOSET OR HALLWAY ON THE LOWEST FLOOR...
AND GET UNDER A STURDY PIECE OF FURNITURE.

GET OUT OF AUTOMOBILES. DO NOT TRY TO OUTRUN A TORNADO IN YOUR CAR.
INSTEAD...LEAVE IT IMMEDIATELY.

IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...LIE FLAT IN A NEARBY DITCH OR DEPRESSION.
CROUCH DOWN AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

MOBILE HOMES, EVEN IF TIED DOWN...OFFER LITTLE PROTECTION FROM
TORNADOES AND SHOULD BE ABANDONED FOR MORE SECURE SHELTER.

IN SCHOOLS...AVOID LARGE AREAS SUCH AS AUDITORIUMS AND GYMNASIUMS.

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

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