PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
300 PM CST TUE FEB 26 2008

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

...TORNADOES AND TORNADO SAFETY...

TORNADOES ARE ONE OF NATURE'S MOST VIOLENT STORMS. IN AN AVERAGE YEAR...ABOUT 1000 TORNADOES ARE REPORTED ACROSS 
THE UNITED STATES RESULTING IN 85 DEATHS AND OVER 1500 INJURIES. A TORNADO IS A VIOLENTLY ROTATING COLUMN OF AIR 
EXTENDING FROM A THUNDERSTORM TO THE GROUND. THE MOST VIOLENT TORNADOES ARE CAPABLE OF TREMENDOUS DESTRUCTION 
WITH WIND SPEEDS OF 250 MPH OR MORE. DAMAGE PATHS CAN EXCEED A MILE IN WIDTH AND 50 MILES IN LENGTH.  

TORNADOES COME IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES AND CAN OCCUR ANYWHERE IN THE U.S. AT ANY TIME OF THE YEAR. HOWEVER IN 
TEXAS...PEAK TORNADO SEASON IS DURING THE MONTHS OF MARCH THROUGH JUNE WITH NEARLY 70% OF ALL TEXAS TORNADOES 
OCCURING DURING THIS TIME PERIOD. THE MONTH OF MAY IS THE SINGLE MOST ACTIVE TORNADO PRODUCING MONTH IN TEXAS. 

TEXAS RANKS FIRST IN THE COUNTRY IN THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF REPORTED TORNADOES WITH MORE THAN 130 OCCURRING EACH 
YEAR ACROSS THE STATE. IN 2005...JUST OVER 100 TORNADOES WERE RECORDED IN THE STATE. 

AFTER A TORNADO OCCURS...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE (NWS) METEOROLOGISTS MAKE EVERY ATTEMPT TO SURVEY THE DAMAGE 
AND CLASSIFY THE STORM IN ONE OF THREE MAIN CATEGORIES...WEAK...STRONG...OR VIOLENT. THIS DETERMINATION IS MADE 
BY SURVEYING THE IMPACTED STRUCTURES ALONG THE STORM PATH. IF A TORNADO HAS OCCURRED IN YOUR AREA...PLEASE 
REPORT IT TO THE NWS WHEN IT’S SAFE TO DO SO SO IT CAN BE PROPERLY DOCUMENTED.  

...TORNADO SAFETY...

TORNADOES CAN DESTROY A BUILDING IN A FEW SHORT SECONDS. THEREFORE...IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THE SAFETY RULES 
FOR SURVIVING A TORNADO. 

IN HOMES AND SMALL BUILDINGS...GO TO THE BASEMENT OR A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET...BATHROOM OR AN 
INTERIOR HALLWAY ON THE LOWEST LEVEL. PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS WITH THICK BLANKETS...SLEEPING BAGS 
OR MATTRESSES.

AT SCHOOLS...AS WELL AS HOSPITALS...FACTORIES AND SHOPPING MALLS...GO TO THE DESIGNATED SHELTER AREAS...USUALLY 
AN INTERIOR HALLWAY ON THE LOWEST FLOOR WITHOUT WINDOWS. KNEEL ON THE FLOOR AGAINST THE WALL AND PLACE HANDS 
OVER YOUR HEAD TO PROVIDE SOME PROTECTION FOR YOUR HEAD.  
  
FOR MOBILE HOMES...PORTABLE CLASSROOMS...OR VEHICLES...LEAVE THEM AND GO TO A STRONG BUILDING FOR SHELTER. IF 
THERE IS NO SHELTER NEARBY...GET INTO THE NEAREST DITCH OR DEPRESSION. LIE FLAT WITH YOUR HANDS SHIELDING YOUR HEAD.

PLANNING AHEAD AND KNOWING THE SAFETY RULES IS ESSENTIAL IN BEING PREPARED WHEN A TORNADO STRIKES.

FOR MORE TORNADO AND TORNADO SAFETY INFORMATION...CALL YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE OR VISIT 
WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV ON THE INTERNET.