533 
NOUS44 KSHV 012036
PNSSHV

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
300 PM CST MON MAR 1 2004

...CONTINUING SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN TEXAS...OKLAHOMA...
AND LOUISIANA...

...A REVIEW OF THE EASTER 2000 FOUR STATE AREA TORNADO OUTBREAK...

TORNADOES ACROSS THE FOUR STATE AREA HAVE LEFT A LEGACY OF DEATH AND
DESTRUCTION OVER RECENT YEARS.  THE VIOLENT CLASHES OF COLD
SPRINGTIME STORMS WITH WARM MOIST AIR FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO OFTEN
PRODUCE EXTREME OUTBREAKS OF LARGE AND DESTRUCTIVE STORMS KNOWN AS
SUPERCELLS.  SOME OF THE MOST DEVASTATING BY PRODUCTS OF THESE
INTENSE STORMS ARE DEADLY TORNADOES.  THE MOST MEMORABLE TORNADO
OUTBREAK IN THE FOUR STATE AREA OCCURRED ON EASTER SUNDAY IN 2000.

ON APRIL 23RD 2000...A LARGE TORNADO OUTBREAK OCCURRED ACROSS THE
FOUR STATE AREA...WITH 12 INDIVIDUAL TORNADO TOUCH DOWNS IN NORTHEAST
TEXAS...5 IN SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS...2 IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA...AND 9 IN
NORTHERN LOUISIANA. FORTUNATELY...EVEN WITH THE 28 INDIVIDUAL TORNADO
TOUCHDOWNS THAT OCCURRED ACROSS THE FOUR STATE AREA THAT DAY...THERE
WERE NO FATALITIES. TORNADOES MOVED THROUGH DOWNTOWN SHREVEPORT...
MANSFIELD...MINDEN AND CASTOR LOUISIANA...RANGING FROM F1 TO F3 ON
THE FUJITA SCALE.  OVER 900 HOMES OR BUSINESSES WERE DAMAGED ACROSS
NORTH LOUISIANA...WITH ONLY 25 INJURIES.

A YEAR EARLIER ON EASTER...APRIL 3RD 1999...THE INFAMOUS BENTON
TORNADO...MOVED OVER NORTHERN LOUISIANA KILLING 7 PEOPLE.

ALTHOUGH OTHER TORNADO EPISODES ARE SIGNIFICANT AND MEMORABLE...THESE
BACK TO BACK EASTER EVENTS KEEP THE EYES OF MANY CITIZENS OF THE FOUR
STATE AREA ON THE WEATHER...AND ON THE CALENDAR.

$$