NOUS42 KMLB 041241
PNSMLB
FLZ041-044>047-053-054-058-059-064-141-144-147-050500-
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
737 AM EST FRI FEB 4 2011
...FEBRUARY 4 IS TEMPERATURE EXTREMES AND WILDFIRE AWARENESS DAY...
ALTHOUGH A WARM CLIMATE IS ONE OF CENTRAL FLORIDA`S GREATEST NATURAL
ASSETS...TAKEN TO THE EXTREME IT CAN BE HARMFUL AND EVEN FATAL ON
THE HOTTEST DAYS IF PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT TAKEN. THE HEAT AND HUMIDITY
OF SUMMER CAN COMBINE TO CAUSE HEAT INDICES NEAR 105 DEGREES...A
HEALTH RISK EVEN TO THOSE ACCUSTOM TO WARM WEATHER.
WHEN THE HEAT INDEX EXCEEDS 115 DEGREES...LIFE THREATENING HEAT
STROKE IS POSSIBLE. ON HOT DAYS...MAKE SURE TO DRINK PLENTY OF WATER
AND TAKE FREQUENT BREAKS. ALTHOUGH YOU CANT FEEL IT OR SEE
IT...ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION CAN CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE SKIN AND
EYES...EVEN ON SEEMINGLY CLOUDY DAYS.
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION...OR SIMPLY UV RADIATION...IS STRONGEST FROM
AROUND 10 AM TO 2 PM WHEN A HIGH SUN ANGLE OCCURS. THE BODY`S QUICK
RESPONSE TO EXCESSIVE UV RADIATION IS SUNBURN...WHICH CAN HAPPEN IN
ONLY A MATTER OF MINUTES. EXCESSIVE EXPOSURE HAS BEEN PROVEN TO
CAUSE POTENTIALLY FATAL SKIN CANCERS OR CATARACTS...A FORM OF
BLINDNESS. ABOUT 90 PERCENT OF ALL SKIN CANCER CASES ARE LINKED TO
UV RADIATION. PUT ON SUNBLOCK BEFORE ENGAGING IN OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES.
FREEZING TEMPERATURES OCCUR IN EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA EACH WINTER.
ASIDE FROM HUMAN IMPACTS WITH COLD NIGHT TIME TEMPERATURES AND
DANGEROUS WIND CHILL...FREEZING TEMPERATURES AND FROST CAN
SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT THE WIDE RANGING AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY. DURING
COLD EVENTS...BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL WHEN USING PORTABLE HEATERS...AS
DEATHS OFTEN OCCUR AS A RESULT OF FAULTY EQUIPMENT OR FROM IMPROPER
USE. NEVER USE CANDLES OR COOKING GRILLS TO HEAT INDOOR
ENVIRONMENTS. A HOME FIRE MAY RESULT AS WELL AS THE LIKELIHOOD OF
DEADLY CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING.
THE THREAT OF WILDFIRE IS MOST PRONOUNCED FROM MARCH THROUGH MAY
WHEN THE DRY SEASON COINCIDES WITH INCREASING SUN ANGLE AND WARMER
TEMPERATURES. OCCASIONALLY THUNDERSTORMS WILL SPARK WILDFIRES. WHEN
CONDITIONS ARE CONDUCIVE FOR THE RAPID SPREAD OF WILDFIRES...THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ISSUES FIRE WEATHER WATCHES AND RED FLAG
WARNINGS WHICH INDICATE THE GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION AND SPECIFIC DAYS
WHEN HAZARDOUS FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS EXIST.
IN RECENT YEARS...WILDFIRES HAVE BECOME A LARGER THREAT TO LIFE AND
PROPERTY DUE TO THE EXPANSION OF URBANIZED AREAS ACROSS THE STATE.
MOST CENTRAL FLORIDA WILDFIRES ARE THE RESULT OF HUMAN CAUSED
IGNITION. ONLY DISCARD CIGARETTES OR MATCHES IN A CLOSED CONTAINER.
OUTDOOR BURNING SHOULD BE CONDUCTED BY TRAINED PERSONNEL DURING
PROPER WEATHER CONDITIONS AND USING ADEQUATE EQUIPMENT.
INFORMATION REGARDING EXTREME TEMPERATURES AND WEATHER CONDITIONS
CONDUCIVE TO THE SPREADING OF WILDFIRES CAN BE OBTAINED BY VISITING
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MELBOURNE WEBSITE AT
WEATHER.GOV/MELBOURNE AND CLICKING ON THE HAZARDS IMAGE AT THE
BOTTOM OF THE WEB PAGE.
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