PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
800 AM EST FRI DEC 7 2007
THIS WEEK HAS BEEN DECLARED WINTER WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN NORTH
INFORMATIVE MESSAGES TO HELP YOU PREPARE FOR WINTER WEATHER.
EACH DAY WE WILL COVER A DIFFERENT TOPIC. TODAY WE WILL TALK ABOUT
THE SOMETIMES NOT SO BEAUTIFUL WONDERLAND CREATED BY SNOW.
AS MOST RESIDENTS KNOW...JUST A SMALL AMOUNT OF SNOW CAN ADVERSELY
IMPACT THE AREA IN VERY LITTLE TIME. ON AVERAGE THE COASTAL PLAIN
RECEIVES 4 TO 5 INCHES OF SNOW PER YEAR...THE TRIANGLE 6 TO 8 INCHES
OF SNOW AND THE TRIAD 9 TO 12 INCHES. THE LAST SEVERAL WINTERS HAVE SEEN
VERY LITTLE SNOW FALLING
OVER
WINTERS...RELATIVELY LIGHT SNOW EVENTS HAVE BEEN CAPABLE OF STRANDING
HUNDREDS OF MOTORISTS ON LOCAL HIGHWAYS AND INTERSTATES.
BASED ON CLIMATOLOGICAL EXAMINATION OF WHEN SNOW EVENTS OCCUR IN
OF COURSE THE CRITICAL TIME FOR SCHOOLS AND COMMUTERS TO AND FROM
BUSINESSES. THIS IS OF PARTICULAR CONCERN SINCE MOST WINTER STORM DEATHS
ARE THE RESULT OF AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENTS.
HEAVY WET SNOW ACCUMULATIONS COMBINED WITH WIND CAN ALSO BRING DOWN AND
TREES AND POWER LINES. IN RURAL AREAS...HEAVY SNOW CAN ISOLATE PEOPLE IN
THEIR HOMES FOR DAYS. DRIVING IN SNOW CAN BECOME VERY HAZARDOUS THE
VERY MOMENT SNOW STARTS TO STICK TO THE ROAD. ABOUT SEVENTY PERCENT
OF ALL WINTER RELATED DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES WHEN CARS SLIDE ON
SLIPPERY
ROADS CAUSING ACCIDENTS. WITH
THIS IN MIND...
AND ROADWAYS BECOME DANGEROUS YOU SHOULD ONLY TRAVEL WHEN ABSOLUTELY
NECESSARY. STAYING OFF THE ROAD DURING SNOW AND ICE ALSO ALLOWS NCDOT
CREWS TIME TO CLEAR AND TREAT ROADS SURFACES.
PREPARING FOR THE NEXT WINTER STORM BEFORE IT HAPPENS IS BEST. WHEN
SNOW IS IN THE FORECAST...MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE ENOUGH FOOD AND
MEDICINE AT YOUR HOUSE TO LAST SEVERAL DAYS. ALSO MAKE SURE THAT
THERE IS ENOUGH FUEL FOR ALTERNATIVE HEAT SOURCES SUCH AS FIREPLACES
(WOOD OR GAS) AND HEATERS. IT IS ALSO HELPFUL TO HAVE A FULL TANK OF
GAS IN YOUR CAR. NOT ONLY WILL THIS KEEP YOU FROM HAVING TO GO THE
GAS STATION DURING TIMES OF SNOW...IT PROVIDES MORE WEIGHT TO YOUR CAR
AND CAN IMPROVE TRACTION IN SNOW.
BEING PREPARED ALSO MEANS HAVING THE NECESSARY INFORMATION TO MAKE
THE
RIGHT DECISIONS. THE
WINTER STORM ADVISORIES WHEN 1 TO 3 INCHES OF SNOW IS EXPECTED. WHEN
4 OR MORE INCHES OF SNOW IS FORECAST WINTER STORM WATCHES AND
WARNINGS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. THESE WATCHES AND WARNINGS
ARE ISSUED AS MUCH AS 48 HOURS IN ADVANCE OF THE SNOW TO ALLOW THE
COMMUNITY AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO PREPARE AND PLAN FOR THE WINTER
WEATHER.
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