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GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086-
089>098-102>113-062000-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
630 AM EST WED FEB 06 2008

THIS WEEK IS SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN GEORGIA. TODAY WE WILL 
DISCUSS TORNADO SAFETY.

IN GEORGIA...THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF DAYS WITH REPORTED TORNADOES IS 
6. TORNADOES HAVE BEEN REPORTED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR...BUT ARE MOST 
LIKELY TO OCCUR FROM MARCH TO MAY. TORNADOES ARE ALSO MOST LIKELY IN 
THE MID AFTERNOON TO EARLY EVENING TIME FRAME...BUT CAN OCCUR ANY 
TIME OF THE DAY OR NIGHT. THIRTY-SEVEN PERCENT OF ALL TORNADOES ARE 
CLASSIFIED AS STRONG OR VIOLENT...AND THESE TORNADOES ARE MOST 
LIKELY TO OCCUR IN THE MONTH OF APRIL. IN GEORGIA...TORNADOES ARE 
OFTEN HARD TO SEE AS THEY ARE WRAPPED IN AREAS OF RAIN AND HAIL.  
THE HILLY TERRAIN CAN ALSO LIMIT YOUR ABILITY TO SEE A TORNADO.  

TORNADOES ARE VIOLENTLY ROTATING COLUMNS OF AIR...EXTENDING FROM THE 
THUNDERSTORM...THAT IS IN CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. TORNADOES CAN 
VARY IN SHAPE...SIZE...AND INTENSITY. MOST TORNADOES ARE 
WEAK...LASTING A FEW MINUTES AND PRODUCING WINDS OF LESS THAN 100 
MPH. HOWEVER...A FEW TORNADOES ARE STRONG OR EVEN VIOLENT. THESE 
TORNADOES LAST FROM 20 MINUTES TO OVER AN HOUR AND CAN PRODUCE WINDS 
OF BETWEEN 100 AND 300 MPH. 

SO WHAT CAN YOU DO TO PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY.

THE BEST THING TO DO IS TO HAVE A PLAN OF ACTION IN PLACE BEFORE 
THREATENING WEATHER DEVELOPS. KNOW WHAT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A 
WATCH AND WARNING ARE. A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE 
FAVORABLE FOR TORNADOES TO DEVELOP...BUT THERE IS NOT AN IMMINENT 
THREAT. A TORNADO WARNING MEANS A TORNADO HAS BEEN DETECTED AND AN 
IMMINENT THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY HAS DEVELOPED.  

KNOW YOUR AREA SO YOU CAN TRACK STORMS. LISTEN TO A WEATHER 
RADIO...LOCAL TV...OR RADIO REPORTS. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE BATTERY 
BACKUP. MONITOR AREA FORECASTS TO KNOW IF THREATENING WEATHER IS 
POSSIBLE WHEN YOU ARE PLANNING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES.  

IF A TORNADO IS IMMINENT...AND YOU ARE IN A HOME OR BUILDING...MOVE 
TO A PRE-DESIGNATED SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR...SUCH AS A 
BASEMENT...SMALL INTERIOR ROOM...CLOSET...BATHROOM...OR 
HALLWAY...AND GET UNDER A STURDY PIECE OF FURNITURE. REMEMBER TO 
ALWAYS PUT AS MANY WALLS BETWEEN YOU AND THE OUTSIDE AS POSSIBLE. 

STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. 

GET OUT OF AUTOMOBILES. DO NOT TRY TO OUTRUN A TORNADO IN YOUR CAR.  
IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE OR IN A VEHICLE...LIE FLAT IN A NEARBY 
DITCH OR DEPRESSION...BUT BE AWARE OF POSSIBLE FLOODING...AND COVER 
YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS. 

MOBILE HOMES OFFER LITTLE PROTECTION FROM TORNADOES. YOU SHOULD 
LEAVE A MOBILE HOME AND GO TO THE LOWEST FLOOR OF STURDY NEARBY 
BUILDING OR A STORM SHELTER. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON TORNADOES...PLEASE VISIT
WWW.SPC.NOAA.GOV

$$