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CTZ005>012-NJZ002>006-011-NYZ067>081-281100-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE UPTON NY
600 AM EDT FRI MAY 2 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 FLASH FLOODS.

SINCE 1996...FLASH FLOODS HAVE ACCOUNTED FOR 11 DEATHS AND MORE THAN 
51 MILLION DOLLARS IN PROPERTY DAMAGE ACROSS THE TRI STATE AREA.

FLASH FLOODS CAN OCCUR ANYWHERE FROM WITHIN A FEW MINUTES TO A FEW 
HOURS OF EXCESSIVE RAINFALL. THE TWO KEY ELEMENTS CONTRIBUTING TO 
FLASH FLOODING ARE RAINFALL INTENSITY AND DURATION.

SLOW MOVING THUNDERSTORMS MOVING OVER THE SAME AREA CAN PRODUCE 
RAINFALL RATES IN EXCESS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR FOR SEVERAL 
HOURS. THESE STORMS...WHICH CLIMATOLOGICALLY OCCUR FROM SPRING 
THROUGH FALL...CAN PRODUCE FLASH FLOODING OF STREET AND POOR 
DRAINAGE AREAS...SMALL STREAMS AND RIVERS.

WHEN THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING BEYOND 36 HOURS...OUR 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN LONG ISLAND NY WILL PROVIDE THIS 
INFORMATION IN OUR HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK TEXT PRODUCT.

FLOOD WATCHES ARE ISSUED BY OUR NWS OFFICE WHEN THERE IS A POTENTIAL 
FOR ANY TYPE OF FLOODING...EXCEPT TIDAL FLOODING...WITHIN 36 HOURS.

WE WILL ISSUE A FLOOD WARNING HEADLINED AS...URBAN FLOOD WARNING 
WHEN MODERATE OR GREATER FLOODING IS EXPECTED IN POOR DRAINAGE 
AREAS...LOW-LYING AREAS AND ON ROADS IN HIGHLY URBANIZED AREAS.

FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS WILL BE ISSUED WHEN ANY TYPE OF FLOODING... 
EXCEPT TIDAL FLOODING...WILL CREATE AN IMMEDIATE THREAT TO LIFE AND 
PROPERTY WITHIN 6 HOURS. LAST YEAR...WE CORRECTLY FORECAST 89 
PERCENT OF 99 FLASH FLOOD EVENTS WITH AN AVERAGE LEAD TIME OF 54 
MINUTES. OUR OFFICE USES A COMBINATION OF WEATHER RADAR...RAIN GAGES 
AND VOLUNTEER SKYWARN SPOTTER OBSERVATIONS TO ISSUE WARNINGS.

THESE OUTLOOKS...WATCHES AND WARNINGS WILL BE ISSUED FOR PEOPLE 
LIVING IN...11 COUNTIES IN SOUTHEAST NY COVERING THE LOWER HUDSON 
VALLEY...NEW YORK CITY AND LONG ISLAND...5 COUNTIES IN NORTHEAST NEW 
JERSEY AND 4 COUNTIES IN SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT.

THE FINAL STATEMENT WILL COVER A REVIEW OF TOPICS PRESENTED DURING 
THIS WEEK.

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