[RVRC] WINTER WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK

[gar3j at earthlink.net]

To all,

>From the NWS Upton via the NJARES mail list: .........73 - N2DV

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE UPTON NY
600 AM EDT WED OCT 28 2009

...THIS IS WINTER WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK...

PLEASE JOIN THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AND THE NEW YORK STATE
DISASTER PREPAREDNESS COMMISSION IN PROMOTING WINTER WEATHER
EDUCATION INCLUDING SAFETY.

TODAY'S THEME IS ICE STORMS.

FREEZING RAIN IS LIQUID RAIN THAT FALLS WHEN SURFACE TEMPERATURES
ARE AT OR BELOW 32 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. THE RAIN FREEZES UPON IMPACT
WITH OBJECTS AND THE GROUND CREATING A LAYER OF ICE. WHEN THE LAYER
OF ICE ACCUMULATES TO AT LEAST ONE HALF INCH THICK...THE WEIGHT OF
THE ICE CAN DOWN TREE LIMBS...POWER LINES AND COMMUNICATION TOWERS
AS WELL AS CAUSE WIDESPREAD IMPACT TO MASS TRANSIT. THIS DEFINES AN
ICE STORM.

HOWEVER...IT MUST BE NOTED THAT ONLY A TRACE OF FREEZING RAIN CAN
PRODUCE A GLAZE OF ICE OVER ROADS...WHICH CAN CAUSE SIGNIFICANT
IMPACT TO MASS TRANSIT...ESPECIALLY IF IT OCCURS DURING THE RUSH
HOURS.

ALTHOUGH ICE STORMS OCCUR MORE FREQUENTLY FROM NORTHERN NJ ACROSS
THE LOWER HUDSON VALLEY AND INTERIOR SOUTHWEST CONNECTICUT...THEY
CAN OCCUR ALONG THE COAST.

DURING JANUARY 15TH AND 16TH 1998...THE COMBINATION OF A STRONG HIGH
PRESSURE SYSTEM TO OUR NORTH AND A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVING OFF
THE NORTH CAROLINA COAST...PRODUCED UP TO 1 INCH OF ICE ACROSS THE
LOWER HUDSON VALLEY AND INTERIOR SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT. ICE COVERED
ROADS LED TO WIDESPREAD AND SIGNIFICANT TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS THAT
RESULTED IN MANY INJURIES. MANY TREE LIMBS AND POWER LINES WERE
DOWNED...WHICH CAUSED SIGNIFICANT POWER OUTAGES.

DURING JANUARY 1994...AT LEAST 4 SIGNIFICANT ICING EVENTS OCCURRED
FROM THE 4TH THROUGH THE 28TH.

THURSDAY'S STATEMENT COVERS WINTER FLOODS.


John Garmendi, SO-MS
USCG Aux Div 02 (1SR)
Sandy Hook, NJ
908-812-2843