Post by SKYSUMMIT on Feb 4, 2013 13:47:20 GMT -6
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
130 PM CST MON FEB 4 2013
..SEVERE WEATHER PREPAREDNESS WEEK IN MISSISSIPPI...
...FEBRUARY 4 THROUGH FEBRUARY 8 2013...
THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 4 THROUGH FEBRUARY 8 HAS BEEN PROCLAIMED AS
SEVERE WEATHER PREPAREDNESS WEEK IN MISSISSIPPI. LATE WINTER AND
SPRING MONTHS TYPICALLY BRING THE HIGHEST FREQUENCY OF SEVERE
WEATHER TO THE GULF COAST REGION. SEVERE WEATHER PREPAREDNESS WEEK
IS GOOD TIME TO REVIEW SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY PLANS AND ENSURE YOU
HAVE A MEANS TO RECEIVE TIMELY WARNINGS.
DURING 2012...TWELVE TORNADOES OCCURRED IN THE 8 COUNTIES IN
EXTREME SOUTH MISSISSIPPI SERVED BY THE LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN SLIDELL. MOST OF THESE TORNADOES WERE
WEAK AND ONLY CAUSED MINOR PROPERTY DAMAGE. HOWEVER THERE WERE A
COUPLE OF STRONG TORNADOES DURING THE YEAR. ONE OCCURRED IN
PASCAGOULA ON AUGUST 29 ASSOCIATED WITH A RAINDBAND OF HURRICANE
ISSAC. AN UNUSUALLY LONG TRACK...STRONG TORNADO DEVELOPED SOUTHWEST
OF POPLARVILLE IN PEARL RIVER COUNTY ON CHRISTMAS DAY AND TRACKED
AROUND 30 MILES TO THE NORTHEAST ACROSS SEVERAL COUNTIES IN SOUTH
MISSISSIPPI. SEVERAL HOUSES AND BUILDINGS SUSTAINED MAJOR DAMAGE OR
WERE DESTROYED IN PEARL RIVER COUNTY AND THERE WERE 10 INJURIES.
EXPERIENCE HAS SHOWN THAT LIVES CAN BE SAVED IF PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF
THE DANGERS ASSOCIATED WITH TORNADOES AND SEVERE WEATHER...AND ARE
PREPARED TO TAKE QUICK STEPS TO PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM NATURES MOST
VIOLENT AND UNPREDICTABLE STORMS.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT FEATURES OF YOUR SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY
PLANS IS IS TO HAVE A RELIABLE MEANS TO RECEIVE SEVERE WEATHER
WARNINGS. A BATTERY OPERATED NOAA WEATHER RADIO CAN BE PROGRAMMED TO
AUTOMATICALLY BROADCAST SEVERE WEATHER WARNING FOR YOUR COUNTY.
ON WEDNESDAY MORNING...FEBRUARY 6...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
INVITES LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES...SCHOOLS AND OTHERS ORGANIZATIONS
TO TEST THEIR SEVERE WEATHER PLANS BY PARTICIPATING IN A TORNADO
TEST DRILL. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILL ISSUE A TEST TORNADO
MESSAGE USING THE ROUTINE WEEKLY TEST MESSAGE ON NOAA WEATHER RADIO
SHORTLY AFTER 9 AM. THE TEST MESSAGE SHOULD ALERT OR BE DISPLAYED
ON THE NOAA WEATHER RADIO. THE TEST MESSAGE WILL PROVIDE INTERESTED
GROUPS A WAY TO TEST THEIR SEVERE WEATHER PLANS.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT THE NEW ORLEANS / BATON ROUGE AREA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE... 985-649-0357 EXTENSION
4.
