000
NOUS44 KCRP 221157
PNSCRP
TXZ229>234-239>247-230000-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CORPUS CHRISTI TX
557 AM CST TUE FEB 22 2011

...CONTINUING SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN TEXAS...

...THE TOPIC FOR TODAY IS DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL...

TEXAS IS AFFECTED BY THOUSANDS OF THUNDERSTORMS EVERY YEAR.
THE MOST DANGEROUS THUNDERSTORMS ARE CLASSIFIED AS SEVERE AND
OCCUR MAINLY IN THE SPRING AND FALL. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN
PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND TORNADOES.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER...MOST DAMAGING WINDS ARE NOT TORNADIC.
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING EQUALLY DESTRUCTIVE
AND LIFE-THREATENING WINDS...COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS STRAIGHT LINE
WINDS. THESE ARE WINDS THAT ARE NOT ASSOCIATED WITH ROTATING WINDS
IN A TORNADO. INSTEAD...THEY MOVE FORWARD ALONG THE GROUND IN A
STRAIGHT LINE.

THUNDERSTORM WINDS ARE CONSIDERED SEVERE WHEN THEY ARE 58 MPH OR
GREATER. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WINDS IN
EXCESS OF 100 MPH.

DOWNBURSTS...ANOTHER TYPE OF STRAIGHT LINE WIND...ARE STRONG
DOWNDRAFTS OF AIR IN A SINGLE THUNDERSTORM THAT ACCELERATE
DOWNWARD AND PRODUCE AN OUT-RUSH OF DAMAGING WIND ON OR NEAR THE
GROUND.

...HAIL STORMS...

ANOTHER DANGER ASSOCIATED WITH SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS LARGE HAIL.
BY DEFINITION...HAIL IS CONSIDERED SEVERE IF IT IS QUARTER SIZE
(1 INCH IN DIAMETER) OR LARGER.

SOME FACTS ABOUT HAIL...

...HAIL IS A CHUNK OF ICE THAT DEVELOPS IN SOME THUNDERSTORMS. 

...HAIL FORM IN THE UPDRAFTS OF THUNDERSTORMS. GENERALLY...THE
STRONGER THE UPDRAFT...THE LARGER THE HAIL...THE MORE DANGEROUS
THE STORM.

...HAIL RANGES IN SIZE FROM PEA SIZE (1/4 INCH) TO GREATER THAN
SOFTBALL SIZE (4.5 INCHES). HAILSTONES ARE USUALLY OVAL SHAPED OR
ROUND...BUT CAN BE SPIKED AS WELL.

...ALTHOUGH RARELY FATAL...HAIL INJURES DOZENS OF PEOPLE EACH
YEAR.

TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM WIND AND HAIL...SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY
IN A STURDY BUILDING.


$$