[MTHOLLYSVRWX] Public Information Statement : PHI@ 3/1/2011 7:39:43 AM

[svrwx at wx3i.net]

NOUS41 KPHI 011238
PNSPHI
PAZ054-055-060>062-067>071-020000-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
738 AM EST TUE MAR 1 2011

...PENNSYLVANIA WEATHER EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS WEEK...

GOVERNOR TOM CORBETT HAS DECLARED THIS WEEK...FEBRUARY 27TH THROUGH 
MARCH 5TH...AS WEATHER EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS WEEK IN PENNSYLVANIA. 

THROUGHOUT THIS WEEK WE WILL COVER VARIOUS TOPICS RELATED TO
SEVERE WEATHER AND WEATHER SAFETY.

TODAY WE WILL CONDUCT A TEST SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR THE
ENTIRE STATE. THE TEST SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNINGS WILL BE
BROADCAST AT 9 AM IN THE WEST...10 AM IN THE CENTRAL PORTION OF
THE COMMONWEALTH...AND 11 AM IN THE EAST.

OUR TOPIC FOR TODAY IS...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. 

WE WILL COVER WHAT CLASSIFIES A THUNDERSTORM AS SEVERE...AND 
WHAT THE DIFFERENCES ARE BETWEEN A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
AND A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING.  WE WILL ALSO GIVE YOU
INFORMATION ON WHAT TO DO WHEN A WATCH OR WARNING IS ISSUED FOR
YOUR AREA.

WHAT IS A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM?
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM IS ANY THUNDERSTORM THAT PRODUCES WIND GUSTS 
OF 58 MILES AN HOUR OR HIGHER...AND/OR HAIL ONE INCH IN DIAMETER OR 
LARGER.  THOSE HAILSTONES ARE ABOUT THE SIZE OF A QUARTER. SEVERE 
THUNDERSTORMS ARE OFTEN ACCOMPANIED BY TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS...AND 
FREQUENT CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING. THEY OCCASIONALLY PRODUCE 
TORNADOES WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING. THE VERY STRONG WINDS 
IN SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN PRODUCE DAMAGE THAT PEOPLE MISTAKE FOR 
TORNADO DAMAGE. APPROXIMATELY 600 SEPARATE DAMAGE EVENTS FROM SEVERE 
THUNDERSTORMS WERE REPORTED IN PENNSYLVANIA IN 2010 ALONE.

WHAT IS A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH?
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE 
IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. THE WATCH IS ISSUED TO ALERT YOU TO 
THE POSSIBILITY THAT THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE 
HAIL MAY DEVELOP. A WATCH DOES NOT MEAN SEVERE WEATHER IS OCCURRING. 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILL ISSUE A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 
FOR MANY COUNTIES AND FOR SEVERAL HOURS AT A TIME.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO WHEN A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS ISSUED...
GO ABOUT YOUR NORMAL ACTIVITIES...BUT WATCH THE SKY AROUND YOU FOR 
DEVELOPING STORMS. PERIODICALLY CHECK NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER 
MEDIA OUTLETS FOR UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. KNOW WHICH COUNTY 
YOU LIVE IN...AND WHICH ONES BORDER YOUR COMMUNITY. PLAN HOW TO GET 
TO A SAFE PLACE QUICKLY IF A WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA...OR IF 
SEVERE WEATHER IS OBSERVED.

WHAT IS A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING?
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING MEANS A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM IS
GOING TO MOVE THROUGH YOUR COUNTY SOON...SO YOU NEED TO TAKE
QUICK ACTION TO PROTECT YOUR LIFE AND PROPERTY.  SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WARNINGS ARE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
WHEN METEOROLOGIST DETECT A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM USING DOPPLER 
WEATHER RADAR OR WHEN A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM HAS BEEN REPORTED 
BY SKYWARN WEATHER SPOTTERS. 

TYPICALLY...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING WILL BE ISSUED 
FOR AN AREA AS BIG AS A COUNTY OR TWO...AND FOR A PERIOD OF UP TO 
ONE HOUR. WE TRY TO MAKE A SPECIFIC LIST OF LOCATIONS THAT MAY 
EXPERIENCE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS OR LARGE HAIL. WHILE NOT ALL 
COMMUNITIES CAN BE LISTED IN THE WARNING TO KEEP THE MESSAGE BRIEF 
AND TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT FAST...YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO HEAR IF 
COMMUNITIES OR LANDMARKS NEAR YOU ARE MENTIONED IN THE WARNING. 

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO WHEN A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IS ISSUED...
IF YOU ARE OUTDOORS...GET INSIDE YOUR HOME...A STRONG BUILDING...
OR IN YOUR CAR.  BOATERS SHOULD HEAD TO SHORE IMMEDIATELY.

WHEN INDOORS...GO TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST LEVEL. STAY AWAY 
FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS. DO NOT USE ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES. ALSO AVOID 
USING THE TELEPHONE...AS LIGHTNING CAN HARM YOU THROUGH LAND-BASED 
TELEPHONE LINES.

IF YOU ARE DRIVING...SAFELY PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD UNTIL 
THE STORM PASSES. HEAVY RAIN WITH ANY THUNDERSTORM CAN FLOOD ROADS 
QUICKLY...SO NEVER TRY TO DRIVE THROUGH AN AREA WHERE WATER COVERS 
THE ROAD...EVEN IF YOU THINK IT IS SHALLOW. THIS WATER MAY SWEEP 
YOUR VEHICLE AWAY.

FOR ADDITIONAL SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WEATHER SAFETY INFORMATION
CHECK OUT OUR WEB PAGE AT:
WEATHER.GOV/PHI...ALL IN LOWER CASE

...WEATHER SAFETY TOPICS FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK...
WEDNESDAY...FLASH FLOOD SAFETY.
THURSDAY...RIVER FLOOD SAFETY.
FRIDAY...SKYWARN SEVERE WEATHER SPOTTERS.

NOW IS THE TIME TO PREPARE FOR THIS YEAR'S SEVERE WEATHER SEASON.


$$


JJM