Public Information Statement

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
835 AM CST WED FEB 21 2007

...SPECIAL WEEKLY RADIO TEST MESSAGE FOR TODAY HAS BEEN POSTPONED
UNTIL FRIDAY MORNING AT 9:30 AM...

...TODAY IS TORNADO AWARENESS DAY....

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS POSTPONED THE
SPECIAL WEEKLY RADIO TEST SCHEDULED FOR THIS MORNING AT 930 AM.  THE
TEST HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED FOR FRIDAY...FEBRUARY THE 23RD...AT THE
SPECIAL TIME OF 9:30 AM.  THIS WILL REPLACE THE USUAL WEEKLY TEST
NORMALLY DONE ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA BETWEEN 11 AM AND 12 PM ON
WEDNESDAYS.

SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK CONTINUES TODAY WITH A CLOSER LOOK AT
TORNADO AND TORNADO SAFETY.  THE MONTHS OF MARCH THROUGH MAY ARE
KNOWN AS THE SPRING TORNADO SEASON.  A FALL TORNADO SEASON ALSO
EXISTS FROM NOVEMBER THROUGH MID DECEMBER.  ALABAMA IS ONE OF THE FEW
LOCATIONS IN THE WORLD THAT HAS TWO DISTINCT SEVERE WEATHER SEASONS.

A TORNADO IS DEFINED AS A VIOLENTLY ROTATING COLUMN OF AIR IN CONTACT
WITH THE GROUND.  IF THE CIRCULATION IS NOT ON THE GROUND THEN IT IS
DEFINED AS A FUNNEL CLOUD. TORNADOES USUALLY DESCEND FROM
THUNDERSTORMS.  WIND SPEEDS IN TORNADOES CAN RANGE FROM 40 MILES PER
HOUR TO 318 MILES PER HOUR...THE HIGHEST TORNADO WIND SPEED EVER
RECORDED.

YOUR SAFETY DEPENDS ON BEING CONSTANTLY AWARE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
SEVERE WEATHER.  A TORNADO WATCH IS NORMALLY ISSUED FOR A LARGE AREA
COVERING NUMEROUS COUNTIES.  THE WATCH IS INTENDED TO GIVE YOU TIME
TO REVIEW YOUR SAFETY RULES.  THE SKY MAY BE SUNNY...BUT WEATHER
CHANGES VERY QUICKLY.  STAY TUNED TO YOUR NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL
BROADCAST MEDIA FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION.

A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN A DEVELOPING TORNADO HAS BEEN
DETECTED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR...OR HAS BEEN
REPORTED ON THE GROUND. A TORNADO WARNING IS TYPICALLY ONLY ISSUED
FOR ONE OR TWO COUNTIES AT A TIME...AND USUALLY LASTS NO MORE THAN 45
MINUTES.  IF A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR COUNTY...YOU SHOULD
SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.  IF YOU SEE A TORNADO OR FEEL THREATENED...
MOVE TO A SAFE PLACE IMMEDIATELY AS PRECIOUS SECONDS CAN SAVE YOUR
LIFE.

HERE IS SOME IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING TORNADO SAFETY...

IF YOU ARE IN A HOME OR SMALL BUSINESS...GO TO THE BASEMENT OR TO A
SMALL INTERIOR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET...BATHROOM...OR INTERIOR HALLWAY
WITHOUT WINDOWS ON THE LOWEST LEVEL.  PUT AS MANY WALLS BETWEEN
YOURSELF AND THE OUTSIDE AS POSSIBLE.  IF POSSIBLE...GET UNDER
SOMETHING STURDY SUCH AS A HEAVY TABLE OR USE A MATTRESS TO PROTECT
YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.  MOST INJURIES ASSOCIATED WITH HIGH
WINDS ARE FROM FLYING DEBRIS...SO REMEMBER TO PROTECT YOUR HEAD. IF
AVAILABLE...PUT ON A BICYCLE OR MOTORCYCLE HELMET TO PROTECT YOURSELF
FROM HEAD INJURIES.

IF YOU ARE IN A LARGE BUSINESS...SCHOOL...HOSPITAL...SHOPPING
CENTER...OR FACTORY...GO TO THE DESIGNATED SHELTER AREA.  IF A
SHELTER AREA IS NOT AVAILABLE...THE BEST PLACE TO GO IS AN INTERIOR
HALLWAY ON THE LOWEST LEVEL.  STAY AWAY FROM THE STRUCTURALLY WEAKER
PORTIONS OF BUILDINGS SUCH AS WINDOWS AND ROOMS WITH EXPANSIVE
ROOFS...WHICH ARE MORE LIKELY TO COLLAPSE WHEN TORNADOES STRIKE.  DO
NOT WASTE TIME OPENING WINDOWS IN AN ATTEMPT TO PREVENT DAMAGE TO A
BUILDING. THE OLD BELIEF THAT DAMAGE COULD RESULT FROM RAPID PRESSURE
CHANGES DURING A TORNADO IS NOT TRUE.  IT WILL NOT MAKE ANY
DIFFERENCE IN A TORNADO IF THE WINDOW IS OPEN OR NOT. YOUR SAFEST
COURSE OF ACTION IS TO TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY WHEN A TORNADO
WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA.

IF YOU ARE IN A MOBILE HOME OR VEHICLE...GET OUT AND TAKE SHELTER IN
A STURDY BUILDING OR STORM SHELTER.  IF THERE IS NOT AN ADEQUATE
BUILDING NEARBY...GET TO A LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD FROM FLYING
DEBRIS.  DO NOT TAKE COVER UNDER AN OVERPASS AS THIS DOES NOT PROVIDE
ADEQUATE SHELTER DURING A TORNADO AND CAN ACTUALLY CAUSE INCREASED
WIND SPEEDS DUE TO A TUNNELING EFFECT.

TOMORROW...THURSDAY FEBRUARY 22...WE WILL HIGHLIGHT FLOOD
AND FLASH FLOOD AWARENESS.  FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS...VISIT OUR WEB
SITE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV...OR CONTACT JIM STEFKOVICH...METEOROLOGIST
IN CHARGE...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM...AT
205-664-3010...EXTENSION 2 2 2.

$$

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