National Weather Service Raw Text Product

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NOUS42 KCHS 241507
PNSCHS
GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-SCZ040-042>045-047>052-250315-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
1007 AM EST FRI FEB 24 2012

...SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER EVENT POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON...

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE LIKELY THIS
AFTERNOON ACROSS MUCH OF SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHEAST
GEORGIA. NOW IS A GOOD TIME TO REVIEW SOME TORNADO SAFETY RULES.

...THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A WATCH AND A WARNING...

A WATCH IS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WHEN CONDITIONS
ARE FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. A
WATCH IS ISSUED TO ALERT THE PUBLIC THAT SEVERE WEATHER IS
POSSIBLE DURING THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS.

A WARNING IS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WHEN A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM OR TORNADO HAS BEEN DETECTED BY RADAR OR IF ONE HAS
BEEN SIGHTED. A WARNING REQUIRES QUICK ACTION AS THERE IS AN
IMMEDIATE DANGER TO BOTH LIFE AND PROPERTY.

...TORNADO SAFETY RULES...

IN HOMES AND APARTMENTS...
TAKE COVER IN THE CENTER PORTION OF A HOUSE OR APARTMENT...ON THE
LOWEST FLOOR...PREFERABLY IN A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM SUCH AS A
CLOSET OR BATHROOM. CROUCH DOWN AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR
HANDS. TRY AND COVER YOURSELF WITH BLANKETS OR SOME SORT OF THICK
PADDING TO HELP PROTECT AGAINST FALLING DEBRIS IN CASE THE ROOF
OR CEILING FAILS. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DO NOT OPEN THEM.
OPEN WINDOWS WILL ALLOW DAMAGING WINDS TO ENTER THE STRUCTURE.

IN SCHOOLS...HOSPITALS AND SHOPPING CENTERS...
MOVE TO PRE-DESIGNATED SHELTER AREAS IF A TORNADO WARNING IS
ISSUED OR IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES. INTERIOR HALLWAYS ON
THE LOWEST FLOOR THAT DO NOT OPEN TO THE OUTSIDE ARE BEST. STAY
OUT OF AUDITORIUMS...LUNCH ROOMS...GYMS OR OTHER STRUCTURES WITH
WIDE FREE-SPAN ROOFS.

IN CARS...
DO NOT TRY AND OUTRUN A TORNADO. TAKE SHELTER IN A STURDY
STRUCTURE IF ONE IS AVAILABLE...OTHERWISE GET INTO THE NEAREST
DITCH OR LOW LYING AREA UNTIL THE TORNADO PASSES. OVERPASSES DO
NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE SHELTER FROM TORNADOES AND SHOULD BE
AVOIDED.

IN MOBILE HOMES...
GET OUT. MOBILE HOMES ARE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TO OVERTURNING
DURING STRONG WINDS AND SHOULD BE EVACUATED WHEN A TORNADO OR
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IS ISSUED. MOBILE HOMES...EVEN IF
THEY ARE TIED DOWN...DO NOT PROVIDE PROTECTION FROM TORNADOES.

OUTSIDE AREAS...
MOVE INSIDE A STURDY BUILDING IF A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED FOR
IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES. IF THIS IS NOT AN OPTION...LIE
FLAT AND FACE DOWN IN A NEARBY DITCH OR CULVERT AND COVER YOUR
HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS. MAKE SURE THE DITCH OR CULVERT IS NOT
SUBJECT TO FLOODING

...AFTER A TORNADO HITS...
KEEP YOUR FAMILY OR GROUP TOGETHER AND WAIT FOR EMERGENCY
PERSONNEL TO ARRIVE. CAREFULLY RENDER FIRST AID TO THOSE WHO ARE
INJURED...IF POSSIBLE. STAY AWAY FROM DOWNED POWER LINES AND
PUDDLES WITH WIRES IN THEM. WATCH YOUR STEP AND AVOID BROKEN
GLASS...NAILS AND OTHER SHARP OBJECTS. AVOID HEAVILY DAMAGED
STRUCTURES AS THEY COULD COLLAPSE AT ANY TIME. DO NOT SMOKE...USE
MATCHES OR LIGHTERS IN CASE LEAKING NATURAL GAS PIPES OR FUEL
TAKES ARE NEARBY. REMAIN CALM AND ALERT. LISTEN FOR INFORMATION
AND INSTRUCTIONS FROM EMERGENCY CREWS OR LOCAL EMERGENCY
OFFICIALS.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCHES OR TORNADO WATCHES WILL LIKELY BE
ISSUED FOR PORTIONS OF THE REGION BY EARLY AFTERNOON. STAY TUNED
TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO ALL HAZARDS...TV OR YOUR LOCAL NEWS SOURCE
FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE. BE SURE TO KEEP YOUR NOAA WEATHER RADIO IN ALERT MODE AT
ALL TIMES.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION INCLUDING FORECASTS...RADAR IMAGES AND
SEVERE WEATHER WARNINGS CAN BE FOUND ON THE INTERNET AT
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/CHS.

$$