000 NOUS42 KTAE 151310 PNSTAE FLZ007>019-026>029-034-161100- PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL 800 AM EST WED FEB 15 2006 TODAY'S TOPICS FOR HAZARDOUS WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK ARE TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILL ISSUE A TORNADO DRILL THIS MORNING AT 910 AM THROUGH 930 AM EST AND AGAIN AT 910 AM CST FOR CENTRAL TIME ZONES. WARNINGS WILL BE ALERTED ON NOAA WEATHER RADIO AS A ROUTINE WEEKLY TEST. THE PURPOSE OF THIS ANNUAL DRILL IS FOR THE PUBLIC TO TEST THEIR TORNADO SAFETY PREPAREDNESS PLANS. TORNADOES FREQUENTLY OCCUR IN THE SOUTHEASTERN U.S. FROM FEBRUARY THROUGH APRIL...BUT CAN DEVELOP DURING THE LATE SUMMER AND FALL MONTHS IN ASSOCIATION WITH LANDFALLING TROPICAL SYSTEMS. CLIMATOLOGY SHOWS THAT TORNADOES ARE JUST AS LIKELY TO FORM AFTER MIDNIGHT AS THEY DO DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. WHEN THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ISSUES A TORNADO WATCH...PERSONS IN THE AFFECTED AREA SHOULD MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND REHEARSE THEIR SAFETY PLANS. WHEN A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED...SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. SOME SAFETY RULES TO NOTE... IN HOMES AND BUSINESSES...GO TO AN INTERIOR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET OR BATHROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. EVACUATE MOBILE HOMES FOR A STURDY SHELTER. IN SCHOOLS...EVACUATE CLASSROOMS FOR AN INTERIOR HALLWAY ON THE LOWEST FLOOR. CROUCH DOWN AND COVER YOUR HEAD. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS OF 58 MPH OR GREATER...FLASH FLOODING...AND CAN PRODUCE TORNADOES WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING. IF A WATCH IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA...MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO. WHEN A WARNING IS ISSUED...SEEK SAFE SHELTER. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON HAZARDOUS WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK... VISIT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEB SITE AT WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TAE...THE FLORIDA DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AT WWW.FLORIDADISASTER.ORG...OR CONTACT YOUR COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY. THURSDAY'S TOPICS FOR HAZARDOUS WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK WILL BE HURRICANES AND FRESHWATER FLOODING. $$ GOREE