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CTZ005>012-NJZ002>006-011-NYZ067>081-251100-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE UPTON NY
600 AM EDT TUE APR 29 2008

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SEVERAL 
AGENCIES...INCLUDING THE NY STATE DISASTER PREPAREDNESS 
COMMISSION...IS PROMOTING SEVERE 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 100 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 LATE AFTERNOON...AROUND 5 PM...FROM MAY 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 8 DAYS BEFORE A POTENTIAL EVENT AND BY NWS UPTON NY UP 
TO 7 DAYS BEFORE A POTENTIAL EVENT IN OUR HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCHES ARE ISSUED BY THE NWS STORM PREDICTION 
CENTER WITH LEAD TIMES UP TO A FEW HOURS. A WATCH MEANS THAT WEATHER 
CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS 
IN AND AROUND AN 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. LAST 
YEAR...WE CORRECTLY DETECTED AND WARNED FOR 89 PERCENT OF 89 SEVERE 
THUNDERSTORMS WITH AN AVERAGE LEAD TIME OF 16 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 WEATHER RADIO ALL 
HAZARDS...THE OFFICIAL VOICE OF THE NWS.

THE NEXT STATEMENT COVERS SEVERE WEATHER PREPAREDNESS AND SAFETY.

$$