[MTHOLLYSVRWX] Public Information Statement : PHI@ 3/3/2011 8:49:18 AM

[svrwx at wx3i.net]

NOUS41 KPHI 031349
PNSPHI
PAZ054-055-060>062-067>071-040000-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
849 AM EST THU MAR 3 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 ARE DISCUSSING TOPICS RELATED TO SEVERE
WEATHER AND WEATHER SAFETY.

OUR TOPIC FOR TODAY IS RIVER FLOODING AND RIVER FLOOD SAFETY. 

PENNSYLVANIA HAS AN EXTENSIVE RIVER SYSTEM THAT IS SCENIC AND 
BEAUTIFUL.  HOWEVER...ON OCCASION...THESE RIVERS CAN BECOME 
DESTRUCTIVE...AND EVEN DEADLY.  SIGNIFICANT...WIDESPREAD RIVER 
FLOODS HAVE OCCURRED IN PENNSYLVANIA IN 1936...1972...1996...
2004...AND MOST RECENTLY IN 2006.

WHAT CAUSES RIVER FLOODS?
GENERALLY...PROLONGED PERIODS OF HEAVY RAINFALL...SOMETIMES
COMBINED WITH EXTENSIVE SNOWMELT...OVER A LARGE PART OF THE
COMMONWEALTH WILL CAUSE THE RIVERS TO SWELL AND OCCASIONALLY FLOOD.
THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE IN LATE WINTER AND SPRING WHEN THE SNOWPACK 
FROM THE PREVIOUS WINTER MELTS.  IF THE SNOW MELTS QUICKLY AND IS 
COMBINED WITH HEAVY RAINFALL...MAJOR FLOODING COULD RESULT SUCH AS 
THE FLOODS THAT OCCURRED IN JANUARY 1996.  THE FLOODS OF 1996 WERE 
THE WORST SINCE THE REMNANT OF HURRICANE AGNES OF 1972.  

OUR RIVERS CAN FLOOD ANYTIME OF THE YEAR.  IN SUMMER...COMPLEXES OF 
SLOW MOVING THUNDERSTORMS CAN CAUSE THE RIVERS TO FLOOD.  IN LATE 
SUMMER AND FALL...HEAVY RAIN FROM TROPICAL STORMS AND HURRICANES 
ARE THE BIGGEST CAUSE OF RIVER FLOODING.  DURING 2005...TWO 
LAND-FALLING TROPICAL CYCLONES - KATRINA AND TAMMY - CAUSED 
FLOODING OVER LARGE PARTS OF THE STATE.

RIVER FLOODING CAN RESULT IN WIDESPREAD PROPERTY DAMAGE AND MAY 
RESULT IN LOSS OF LIFE.  MORE THAN 50 PERCENT OF THE DEATHS 
ASSOCIATED WITH FLOODING ARE AUTOMOBILE RELATED.

WHAT DOES A FLOOD WATCH MEAN?
A FLOOD WATCH MEANS THERE IS POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING TO OCCUR...NOT
THAT RIVER FLOODING IS OCCURRING.  THE WATCH IS TYPICALLY ISSUED FOR 
MANY COUNTIES AT A TIME...AND IS IDEALLY ISSUED 12 TO 24 HOURS 
BEFORE FLOODING IS EXPECTED.  THIS WAY...YOU WILL HAVE ENOUGH TIME 
TO PREPARE.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO WHEN A FLOOD WATCH IS ISSUED?
GO ABOUT YOUR NORMAL ACTIVITIES...BUT MAKE PERIODIC CHECKS OF NOAA 
WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER MEDIA OUTLETS FOR UPDATES AND POSSIBLE FLOOD 
WARNINGS.  GET READY TO MOVE YOUR PERSONAL PROPERTY OUT OF THE AREAS 
THAT ARE KNOWN TO FLOOD.

IF YOU LIVE OR WORK IN AN AREA WHICH IS PRONE TO FLOODING...HAVE A
SAFE EVACUATION ROUTE TO USE IF FLOODING OCCURS.  MAKE SURE EVERYONE 
IN YOUR HOME OR OFFICE KNOWS WHERE TO GO IF FLOODING OCCURS. 
HAVE A BATTERY OPERATED RADIO...AND SEVERAL WORKING FLASHLIGHTS 
AVAILABLE.  TAKE PRECAUTIONS TO SECURE YOUR PROPERTY.

WHAT DOES A RIVER FLOOD WARNING MEAN?
A RIVER FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT RIVER LEVELS WILL EXCEED FLOOD
STAGE AT CERTAIN POINTS ALONG OUR LARGER RIVERS...LIKE THE
SUSQUEHANNA AND JUNIATA RIVERS.  RIVER FLOODS TAKE LONGER TO DEVELOP 
THAN FLASH FLOODING...SO THEY MAY NOT POSE AS MUCH THREAT TO 
LIFE...BUT CAN TAKE A MUCH LARGER TOLL ON PROPERTY.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO WHEN A RIVER FLOOD WARNING IS ISSUED? IF YOU LIVE 
IN THE FLOOD PLAIN...BE PREPARED TO EVACUATE IF ORDERED TO DO SO.  
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ALL NECESSARY ITEMS IN THE EVENT THAT YOU CANNOT 
RETURN HOME FOR SEVERAL DAYS.  MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO PROTECT YOUR 
PROPERTY BY MOVING YOUR VALUABLES TO HIGHER GROUND...OR AN UPPER 
LEVEL OF YOUR HOME.  LISTEN FOR RIVER LEVEL FORECASTS THAT PREDICT 
FLOODING.  OBEY EVACUATION ORDERS FROM EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OR LOCAL 
LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS...AVOIDING ANY ROADS THAT ARE OR MAY BE 
COVERED WITH WATER.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON FLASH FLOODS AND SEVERE WEATHER
CHECK OUT OUR WEB SITE AT:
WEATHER.GOV/PHI...ALL IN LOWER CASE.

OUR WEATHER SAFETY TOPIC FOR FRIDAY WILL BE...
SKYWARN SEVERE WEATHER SPOTTERS.

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

$$