[MTHOLLYSVRWX] Public Information Statement : PHI@ 3/5/2013 7:42:19 AM

[svrwx at wx3i.net]

NOUS41 KPHI 051241
PNSPHI
PAZ054-055-060>062-070-071-101>106-060000-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
741 AM EST TUE MAR 5 2013

...PENNSYLVANIA SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK...

THIS IS SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN PENNSYLVANIA. 

NOW IS THE TIME TO PREPARE FOR THE UPCOMING SEVERE WEATHER SEASON.

WEATHER PERMITTING...WE WILL CONDUCT STATEWIDE TESTS OF SEVERE 
THUNDERSTORM WARNINGS ON NOAA WEATHER RADIO TODAY. THE TEST WARNINGS 
WILL BE AIRED ON NOAA WEATHER RADIO BEGINNING AT 9 AM FOR THE 
WESTERN PART OF THE STATE. THE CENTRAL COUNTIES WILL HAVE A TEST 
WARNING SENT AT 10 AM. THE EASTERN COUNTIES WILL HAVE TEST WARNINGS 
ISSUED THROUGH NOAA WEATHER RADIO AT 11 AM.

WE ARE COVERING A DIFFERENT SAFETY TOPIC EACH DAY OF THIS WEEK.

OUR SEVERE WEATHER AND WEATHER SAFETY 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 THUNDERSTORM IS CONSIDERED SEVERE IF IT 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 LIGHTNING. THEY CAN ALSO 
PRODUCE BRIEF...WEAK TORNADOES. THE DAMAGE FROM THE STRONG WIND 
GUSTS OF A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAN BE JUST AS BAD AS THE DAMAGE 
MADE BY A TORNADO. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE MUCH MORE COMMON THAN 
TORNADOES. 

WHAT IS A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH?

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS ISSUED IN ORDER TO ALERT YOU THAT 
THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL ARE EXPECTED TO 
DEVELOP CLOSE TO YOUR LOCATION. A WATCH BY ITSELF DOES NOT MEAN 
THAT SEVERE WEATHER IS ACTUALLY OCCURRING YET...IT MEANS THAT 
SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED TO HAPPEN CLOSE BY. A SEVERE 
THUNDERSTORM WATCH USUALLY COVERS AN AREA AS LARGE AS A STATE...
AND IS IN EFFECT FOR SEVERAL HOURS...EXPIRING ONLY WHEN THE 
THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO END.

WHAT SHOULD YOU 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 FORECAST UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. 
KNOW WHICH COUNTY YOU LIVE IN...AND WHICH ONES BORDER YOUR 
COMMUNITY. THINK OF A SAFE PLACE TO BE AND PLAN A ROUTE WHICH 
YOU CAN USE TO GET THAT SAFE PLACE QUICKLY. 

WHAT IS A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING?

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING MEANS A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM IS 
OCCURRING AND IS GOING TO MOVE THROUGH YOUR LOCATION SOON. IT IS 
YOUR SIGNAL THAT YOU WILL NEED TO TAKE QUICK ACTION TO PROTECT YOUR 
LIFE AND PROPERTY.  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNINGS ARE ISSUED BY THE 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WHEN METEOROLOGISTS DETECT A SEVERE 
THUNDERSTORM USING DOPPLER RADAR OR WHEN DAMAGE 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. IN 
THE TEXT OF THE WARNING STATEMENT...WE TRY TO MAKE A SPECIFIC LIST 
OF TOWNS THAT ARE LIKELY TO BE IN THE PATH OF THE STORM. YOU SHOULD 
LISTEN TO HEAR IF COMMUNITIES OR LANDMARKS NEAR YOU ARE MENTIONED IN 
THE WARNING. 

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO WHEN A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IS ISSUED FOR 
YOUR LOCATION?

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 EXTERIOR DOORS. DO NOT USE ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES 
AND AVOID USING THE TELEPHONE...AS LIGHTNING CAN TRAVEL THROUGH 
ELECTRICAL AND TELEPHONE LINES. 

IF YOU ARE DRIVING...SAFELY PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD UNTIL 
THE STORM PASSES. HEAVY RAIN FALLING FROM 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. WATER MAY SWEEP 
YOUR VEHICLE AWAY IF YOU ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THROUGH IT.

FOR ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORM AND SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY INFORMATION
CHECK OUT OUR WEB PAGE AT:

WEATHER.GOV/PHI...ALL IN LOWER CASE

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

$$