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Displaying AFOS PIL: PNSGSP Product Timestamp: 2012-03-08 19:54 UTC
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578 NOUS42 KGSP 081954 PNSGSP NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065-068>072-082-501>510- SCZ001>014-019-090700- PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 254 PM EST THU MAR 8 2012 ...PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT... THIS IS SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN THE CAROLINAS. FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS...AS WELL AS EMPLOYERS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS...ARE URGED TO USE THE INFORMATION PROVIDED THIS WEEK TO DEVISE THEIR OWN SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY PLANS. IF YOU ALREADY HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE... YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TO USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW YOUR PROCEDURES AND PERFORM DRILLS AND EXERCISES. 2011 WAS AN UNUSUALLY ACTIVE YEAR FOR SEVERE WEATHER ACROSS THE WESTERN CAROLINAS...WITH MULTIPLE STRONG TORNADOES REPORTED...AND NUMEROUS STRONG DOWNBURST EVENTS. THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES THAT 2012 WILL BE LESS ACTIVE...OR WILL NOT BE EVEN MORE ACTIVE THAN 2011. THE TIME TO PREPARE FOR VIOLENT WEATHER IS RIGHT NOW. TODAY...WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE THUNDERSTORMS MOST DANGEROUS PHENOMENON...LIGHTNING. LIGHTNING IS THE SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF WEATHER-RELATED DEATHS IN THE U.S....CLAIMING AN AVERAGE OF AROUND 62 LIVES EACH YEAR. THE PHYSICS OF LIGHTNING DICTATE THAT IT WILL SEEK OUT THE TALLEST OBJECT IN A CERTAIN AREA. FOR THIS REASON... MOST LIGHTNING FATALITIES OCCUR IN OPEN AREAS SUCH AS GOLF COURSES...BASEBALL FIELDS...LAKES OR OTHER BODIES OF WATER...AND IN MOUNTAINOUS AREAS. LOCATIONS SUCH AS THESE ARE FOUND IN ABUNDANCE ACROSS THE CAROLINAS. IN ADDITION...THUNDERSTORMS OCCUR ALMOST EVERYDAY DURING THE LATE SPRING AND SUMMER ACROSS THE REGION. THEREFORE...LIGHTNING FATALITIES AND INJURIES ARE RELATIVELY COMMON IN THIS PART OF THE WORLD. AN IMPORTANT FACT TO REMEMBER ABOUT LIGHTNING IS THAT IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE RAINING FOR YOU TO BE STRUCK. LIGHTNING CAN EXTEND FOR SEVERAL MILES BEYOND THE CLOUD THAT IS PRODUCING IT. BASICALLY...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...OR ACTUALLY SEE LIGHTNING...YOU ARE IN DANGER. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE IS IT SAFE TO BE OUTSIDE WHILE LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING. SEEK SHELTER INDOORS. IF A BUILDING IS NOT AVAILABLE...A HARDTOP VEHICLE WILL USUALLY PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION FROM LIGHTNING. ONCE YOU HAVE SOUGHT SHELTER...REMAIN THERE UNTIL APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES AFTER THE LAST CLAP OF THUNDER. ALTHOUGH THE VAST MAJORITY OF LIGHTNING-RELATED CASUALTIES OCCUR OUTDOORS...THERE ARE STILL MEASURES THAT PEOPLE SHOULD TAKE WHILE INDOORS TO INSURE THAT THEY ARE SAFE FROM LIGHTNING. PEOPLE HAVE BEEN STRUCK BY LIGHTNING WHILE TALKING ON WIRE TELEPHONES...OR COMING IN CONTACT WITH OTHER TYPES OF ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES. OTHERS HAVE BEEN STRUCK WHILE TAKING A SHOWER OR A BATH. AVOID THESE ACTIVITIES DURING A THUNDERSTORM. IN ADDITION...ELECTRICAL SURGES CAUSED BY LIGHTNING MAY RESULT IN DAMAGE TO ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES... AND IN SOME CASES IGNITE FIRES. IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO UNPLUG THESE APPLIANCES BEFORE A THUNDERSTORM HITS. REMEMBER...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOES NOT ISSUE WARNINGS FOR LIGHTNING. EVERY THUNDERSTORM...BY DEFINITION...PRODUCES LIGHTNING...AND IS DANGEROUS IN THAT REGARD. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON WEATHER SAFETY...VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WEATHER.GOV/GSP. $$ LANE