... Public information statement...
... The governor of Louisiana has proclaimed the week of February
12th through the 17th... 2012... as severe weather awareness week...
Spring is the season when severe weather is most likely to strike.
Severe thunderstorms can form in a matter of minutes... bringing large
hail... damaging winds... dangerous tornadoes... and deadly lightning.
These storms can also produce very heavy rain... dropping several
inches in the space of an hour... and causing deadly flash flooding.
Severe weather awareness week is the time to talk with the public
about how we can prepare for these severe weather risks. This
includes having an emergency action plan at home... school... and the
office. An important part of this plan is to make sure everyone
understands it... and is ready to put it into action when necessary.
During severe weather awareness week... the National Weather
Service will review the most important aspects of severe weather...
and highlight safety rules. Special public information statements
will be issued each day... as indicated by the following list.
Newspapers and safety organizations can help to promote awareness...
by printing and distributing the safety rules. The broadcast media
can also help to get this information to the public.
Sunday... morning... introduction to severe weather week.
Afternoon... National Weather Service watches and warnings.
Monday... morning... NOAA Weather Radio all hazards.
Afternoon... damaging wind and hail.
Tuesday... morning... drought and wildfires.
Afternoon... tornadoes and tornado safety.
Wedesday... morning... lightning facts and the 30 30 rule.
Afternoon... severe weather safety for boaters.
Thursday... morning... turn around... don't drown.
Afternoon... flood and flash flood safety.
Friday... morning... amateur radio and Skywarn spotters.
Afternoon... reporting severe weather to the National
Weather Service.
The four state region recorded 79 tornadoes in 2011 which is far
more than the 25 tornadoes which occurred in 2010... in fact...
nationwide... 2011 recorded the 2nd most tornadoes since record
keeping began with a preliminary count of 1690. 2011 also will be
remember for the significant number of fatalities nationwide with 550
which is ranked 4th using records dating back to 1925. The outbreak
of April 25 and 26 2011 will go down as one of the 2nd largest in the
four state region history with 26 tornadoes recorded. Some of the
largest outbreaks across the region have occurred in the Spring...
including the April 2009... April 2000... may 1999... and April 1999
outbreaks which featured numerous strong to violent tornadoes.
The National Weather Service would like to thank everyone involved in
making severe weather awareness week a Success.
&&
For more details on some of the significant severe weather events
across the four state region dating back to the 1978 Shreveport F4
tornado... please visit... www.Srh.NOAA.Gov/shv/events/
