PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
600 AM CDT WED SEP 26 2012

....TODAY IS FALL SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS DAY IN ARKANSAS...

ALTHOUGH MOST PEOPLE ASSOCIATE THE SPRING MONTHS WITH SEVERE
WEATHER...ARKANSAS TYPICALLY EXPERIENCES A SECONDARY SEVERE WEATHER
SEASON IN THE FALL OR EARLY WINTER ABOUT TWO YEARS OUT OF EVERY
THREE.

IN THE YEARS 2001...2002...2004...AND 2005...THE GREATEST
TORNADO OUTBREAKS IN THE STATE OCCURRED IN THE FALL. IN 2009...
THE NUMBER OF TORNADOES IN THE FALL ALMOST EQUALED THE NUMBER SEEN
IN THE SPRING. IN 2010...FOUR PEOPLE WERE KILLED BY A TORNADO
IN WASHINGTON COUNTY ON DECEMBER 31ST.

PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIVED IN ARKANSAS AWHILE LIKELY REMEMBER DECEMBER
OF 1982...WHEN TORNADO OUTBREAKS OCCURRED ON DECEMBER 2ND AND AGAIN
ON CHRISTMAS EVE.

AND...THE SPRING SEVERE WEATHER SEASON SOMETIMES DOES NOT WAIT
UNTIL SPRING OFFICIALLY BEGINS. IN 2008...THE SUPER TUESDAY TORNADO
OUTBREAK OCCURRED ON FEBRUARY 5TH. IN 1999...THE BIG TORNADO
OUTBREAK OCCURRED ON JANUARY 21ST. IN 2012...THE BIGGEST TORNADO
OUTBREAK OF THE YEAR SO FAR OCCURRED ON JANUARY 22ND.

SO...EVEN IN THE FALL AND WINTER...WHEN UNUSUALLY WARM AND HUMID AIR
INVADES ARKANSAS...SEVERE WEATHER CAN OCCUR WHEN A STRONG COLD FRONT
OR UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE COLLIDES WITH THE WARMTH AND MOISTURE.

THIS FALL AND WINTER...A WEAK TO MODERATE EL NINO PATTERN IS
EXPECTED TO OCCUR. EL NINO IS A WARMING OF THE OCEAN WATERS IN THE
EQUATORIAL PACIFIC. IN SUCH A PATTERN...THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE
UNITED STATES OFTEN EXPERIENCES ABOVE NORMAL RAINFALL.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KEEP UP WITH THE WEATHER WHEN UNSEASONABLY
WARM...HUMID WEATHER COMES ALONG. LISTEN TO SEE IF SEVERE WEATHER
WATCHES AND WARNINGS ARE ISSUED. TYPICALLY...MANY PEOPLE ARE CAUGHT
BY SURPRISE WHEN SEVERE WEATHER OCCURS DURING THE COOLER MONTHS...
BECAUSE ALL TOO MANY PEOPLE THINK OF SEVERE WEATHER AS OCCURRING
ONLY IN THE SPRING.

HERE ARE SOME SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY RULES TO KEEP IN MIND...

BE SURE YOU KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A WATCH AND A WARNING.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ISSUES A TORNADO WATCH WHEN
TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE. A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN A
TORNADO HAS BEEN INDICATED ON DOPPLER WEATHER RADAR OR HAS
BEEN SIGHTED.

COUNTIES AND CITIES ARE MENTIONED IN TORNADO WARNINGS...SO KNOW
THE COUNTIES AND CITIES NEAR WHERE YOU ARE. IF YOU ARE NEW TO
THE AREA...KEEP A MAP HANDY FOR REFERENCE.

MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE A RELIABLE WAY TO RECEIVE WEATHER
INFORMATION. BATTERY-POWERED NOAA WEATHER RADIOS ARE AN
EXCELLENT WAY TO KEEP UP WITH THE WEATHER...EVEN IF YOUR POWER
HAS GONE OUT. A BATTERY-POWERED RADIO IS ALSO A NECESSITY IF YOU
ARE PLANNING TO BE OUTDOORS.

IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE AT A LARGE GATHERING...SUCH AS AT A
SCHOOL...STADIUM OR PLACE OF WORSHIP...MAKE SURE THAT SOMEONE HAS
BEEN DESIGNATED TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE WEATHER AND TO LISTEN FOR
THE LATEST WATCHES AND WARNINGS.

A TORNADO SHELTER...TORNADO CELLAR...OR A SAFE ROOM IS THE SAFEST
PLACE TO BE...BUT MOST HOMES DO NOT HAVE THESE. THE NEXT SAFEST
PLACE IS USUALLY A BASEMENT...BUT THESE ARE NOT COMMON IN
ARKANSAS. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE ANY OF THESE...GO TO AN INTERIOR
ROOM OR HALLWAY ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A HOUSE OR BUILDING. YOU
WANT TO PUT AS MANY WALLS AS POSSIBLE BETWEEN YOU AND THE
OUTSIDE. FURTHER PROTECTION CAN BE PROVIDED BY GETTING UNDER A
MATTRESS OR A HEAVY PIECE OF FURNITURE.

MANY BUSINESSES...SUCH AS LARGE STORES...SHOPPING MALLS...
HOSPITALS...NURSING HOMES...AND SCHOOLS HAVE PRE-ARRANGED SAFETY
PLANS AND DESIGNATED SAFE AREAS. IF YOU ARE IN ONE OF THESE
PLACES...FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN INSIDE THESE BUILDINGS.

STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

IF YOU ARE IN A VEHICLE...YOUR BEST OPTION IS TO MOVE TO A STURDY
BUILDING.

MOBILE HOMES...EVEN IF TIED DOWN...OFFER LITTLE PROTECTION DURING
A TORNADO...AND SHOULD BE ABANDONED.

REMEMBER THAT FLYING DEBRIS CAUSES THE MOST CASUALTIES IN A
TORNADO.

KEEP IN MIND THAT THE ELDERLY...THE VERY YOUNG...AND PEOPLE WITH
PHYSICAL OR MENTAL CHALLENGES WILL OFTEN NEED MORE TIME TO GET TO
SAFETY. MAKE SPECIAL PROVISIONS IF YOU ARE A CARE-GIVER FOR THESE
PEOPLE.

&&

PLEASE VISIT OUR WEB SITE AT WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/LZK


$$

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