000 NOUS42 KTAE 140034 PNSTAE ALZ065>069-FLZ007>019-026>029-034-GAZ120>131-142>148-155>161-172100- PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL 600 PM EST TUE JAN 13 2009 ...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE TO HOST WEATHERFEST... ON SATURDAY JANUARY 17 2009 FROM 10 AM EST UNTIL 5 PM EST...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TALLAHASSEE WILL HOST THE FIRST EVER WEATHERFEST. WEATHERFEST IS AN OUTREACH EVENT THAT GIVES THE PUBLIC THE OPPORTUNITY TO TOUR A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FACILITY AS WELL AS SEE OTHER EXCITING AND INTERACTIVE DISPLAYS ON METEOROLOGY. SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS FOR VISITORS DURING THIS EVENT INCLUDE... TOURS OF THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OPERATIONS AREA. AN INTERACTIVE SEVERE WEATHER SIMULATION WHERE YOU CAN BE THE WARNING FORECASTER. WEATHER BALLOON LAUNCHES. BALLOONS WILL BE LAUNCHED IN THE AFTERNOON AT 1 PM AND 4 PM. THE FLORIDA DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MOBILE COMMAND VEHICLE. PORTABLE WEATHER STATIONS USED BY THE FLORIDA DIVISION OF FORESTRY. DISPLAYS BY THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY. MEET AND GREET WITH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AND LOCAL TELEVISION METEOROLOGISTS. PHYSICAL SCIENCE DISPLAYS FROM THE MARY BROGAN MUSEUM AND CHALLENGER LEARNING CENTER. CREATE YOUR OWN WEATHERCAST IN THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY METEOROLOGY TV STUDIO. INTERACTIVE METEOROLOGY GAMES. AND MORE. BRING YOUR NOAA WEATHER RADIO WITH YOU TO WEATHERFEST AND HAVE IT PROGRAMMED AND TESTED FOR YOUR COUNTY. MAKE SURE YOU BRING BATTERIES FOR YOUR RADIO. WEATHERFEST IS A SELF-PACED TOUR...SO YOU CAN ARRIVE AT ANY TIME WHILE THE EVENT IS ONGOING. PARKING IS PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE IN THE WOODWARD AVENUE PARKING GARAGE. VOLUNTEERS WILL BE ON HAND TO ASSIST YOU ON THE SHORT WALK FROM THE PARKING GARAGE TO THE EVENT. IF YOU REQUIRE AN ACCESSIBLE PARKING SPACE...THESE ARE PROVIDED ADJACENT TO THE EVENT ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE LOVE BUILDING. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON WEATHERFEST...INCLUDING EVENT MAPS AND DIRECTIONS...PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS. HTTP://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TLH CLICK ON THE WEATHERFEST LINK AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT WEATHERFEST CALL THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TALLAHASSEE AT 8 5 0 9 4 2 8 8 3 3. $$ GODSEY/WOOL