101 ABUS34 KDSM 261058 PNSDSM PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 500 AM CST WED MAR 26 2003 ...THIS IS SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN IOWA... GOVERNOR TOM VILSACK...THE IOWA EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIVISION...AND THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAVE DESIGNATED THE WEEK OF MARCH 24 TO MARCH 28 AS SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN IOWA. EACH MORNING AND AFTERNOON THIS WEEK...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES WILL ISSUE A PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT FOCUSING ON A DIFFERENT ITEM EACH DAY. TOPICS THIS YEAR INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING... MONDAY...SEVERE WEATHER AND FLOOD PRODUCTS TUESDAY...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WEDNESDAY...TORNADOES AND THE STATEWIDE TORNADO DRILL AT 1000 AM THURSDAY...FLOODS FRIDAY...ALL HAZARD PREPAREDNESS TODAY/S TOPIC IS THE TORNADO... AT 1000 AM THIS MORNING...THE STATEWIDE TORNADO DRILL AND TEST WILL OCCUR. THE TEST WILL START WITH A TORNADO WATCH AT 1000 AM...FOLLOWED BY A TORNADO WARNING AT 1015 AM. AT 1030 AM...A SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED CANCELING THE WATCH AND WARNING ENDING THE DRILL. THIS STATEWIDE DRILL OFFERS GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS...LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES...SCHOOLS AS WELL AS OTHER PRIVATE GROUPS AND CITIZENS THE CHANCE TO TEST THEIR SEVERE WEATHER COMMUNICATIONS BEFORE THE SEVERE WEATHER SEASON BEGINS IN ERNEST. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ENCOURAGES PARTICIPATION IN THIS DRILL. A TORNADO IS A RAPIDLY ROTATING COLUMN OF AIR IN CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. A VISIBLE CLOUD IS NOT NEEDED FOR A TORNADO TO BE IN PROGRESS. SOME TORNADOES MAY NOT APPEAR TO EXTEND TO THE GROUND BUT ARE CAUSING CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE. TORNADOES TAKE ON VARIOUS SHAPES AND SIZES...AND MOST PRODUCE WINDS LESS THAN 120 MPH. HOWEVER A FEW ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WINDS OVER 300 MPH. SOME ARE VERY SMALL AND LAST FOR ONLY A MINUTE OR SO...WHILE OTHERS CAN BE A MILE OR TWO WIDE AND STAY ON THE GROUND FOR OVER AN HOUR. TORNADOES HAVE OCCURRED IN EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR ACROSS IOWA DURING ANY TIME OF DAY. HOWEVER THEY ARE MOST LIKELY TO FORM DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS DURING THE MONTHS OF APRIL...MAY AND JUNE. IF A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED OR YOU SEE ONE APPROACHING...FOLLOW THESE SAFETY RULES. IN A HOME OR BUILDING...MOVE TO A PRE-DESIGNATED SHELTER SUCH AS A BASEMENT. MOVE UNDERNEATH OF TABLE...WORKBENCH OR STAIRCASE. STAY AWAY FROM CORNERS OF THE ROOM BECAUSE DEBRIS IS USUALLY DISPLACED INTO THOSE AREAS. MOBILE HOMES...EVEN IF TIED DOWN... OFFER LITTLE PROTECTION FROM TORNADOES AND SHOULD BE ABANDONED. IF AN UNDERGROUND SHELTER IS NOT AVAILABLE...MOVE TO THE LOWEST...MOST INTERIOR ROOM AVAILABLE AND GET UNDER A STURDY PIECE OF FURNITURE IF POSSIBLE. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF IN AN OFFICE BUILDING...SHOPPING MALL OR SCHOOL...GO INTO AN INTERIOR HALLWAY AND CROUCH ON THE GROUND FLOOR AGAINST A WALL. COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS. LEAVE WIDE-OPEN ROOMS LIKE GYMS... AUDITORIUMS...OR THE COMMON AREAS OF SHOPPING MALLS. IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUT IN THE OPEN OR IN A VEHICLE...NEVER TRY TO OUTRUN A TORNADO...ESPECIALLY NEARBY ONES. THEY CAN MOVE AT SPEEDS OF OVER 50 MPH AND CHANGE DIRECTIONS QUICKLY. ABANDON YOUR CAR AND FIND A STURDY STRUCTURE. IF NOT AVAILABLE...CROUCH IN A ROADSIDE DITCH AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS. WATCH FOR FLASH FLOODING. HIDING IN A CAR IS NOT SAFE DURING A TORNADO SINCE IT CAN TOSS A CAR HUNDREDS OF FEET. MAKE SURE YOUR FAMILY AND PEOPLE IN YOUR WORKPLACE ARE FAMILIAR WITH THESE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS. REVIEW THE PROCEDURES AND PRACTICE DURING THE DRILL. OTHER TORNADO INFORMATION AND MYTHS WILL BE COVERED THIS AFTERNOON. FOR AN ON-LINE COPY OF TORNADO PREPAREDNESS PAMPHLETS GO TO HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/OM/BROCHURES.SHTML (SMALL CASE) OR VISIT THE SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK SECTION OF OUR WEB SITE LISTED BELOW. JEFF JOHNSON WARNING AND COORDINATION METEOROLOGIST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/DMX