SWAW: Focus on Lightning

SWAW stands for Severe Weather Awareness Week. This is an annual event, and has been since 1975, to focus on the weather threats which come with severe weather season in Alabama. Many, many states hold these educational events in an effort to increase the awareness of people to the severe weather threats and also to the procedures to follow for safety. Tuesday’s focus is on lightning.

-Brian-

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PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
630 AM CST TUE FEB 18 2014

...THIS WEEK IS SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN ALABAMA...
...TODAY IS LIGHTNING AWARENESS DAY...

THIS WEEK HAS BEEN PROCLAIMED SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN
ALABAMA BY GOVERNOR ROBERT BENTLEY.  DURING THIS SPECIAL WEEK,
ALABAMIANS ARE ENCOURAGED TO LEARN AND OR REVIEW THE PROPER
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS NECESSARY FOR PROTECTING THEIR LIVES DURING
SEVERE WEATHER.

BEFORE WE JUMP INTO LIGHTNING SAFETY, WE WOULD LIKE TO REMIND ALL
ALABAMIANS ABOUT THE SPECIAL WEEKLY NOAA WEATHER RADIO ALL HAZARDS
TEST THAT WILL BE CONDUCTED ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19TH.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BIRMINGHAM WILL CONDUCT THE
WEEKLY RADIO TEST AT THE SPECIAL TIME, AROUND 9 AM ON WEDNESDAY,
FEBRUARY 19TH. THIS SPECIAL TEST WILL REPLACE THE USUAL WEEKLY
RADIO TEST THAT IS NORMALLY CONDUCTED BETWEEN 11 AM AND NOON EVERY
WEDNESDAY. THE INFORMATION MESSAGE GOING ALONG WITH THIS WEEKLY
RADIO TEST WILL HIGHLIGHT APPROPRIATE PREPAREDNESS AND SAFETY
PRECAUTIONS CONCERNING TORNADOES. PLEASE USE THIS SPECIAL TEST TO
CHECK THE OPERATION OF YOUR NOAA WEATHER RADIO ALL HAZARDS AND RUN
THROUGH YOUR SAFETY PLANS. IF INCLEMENT WEATHER DEVELOPS ON
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19TH, THIS SPECIAL WEEKLY RADIO TEST WILL NOT
TAKE PLACE UNTIL FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21ST, AROUND 9 AM.

NOW ON TO LIGHTNING SAFETY...

THE SUMMER MONTHS OF JUNE THROUGH SEPTEMBER ARE THE DEADLIEST AS
FAR AS LIGHTNING IS CONCERNED. IN AN AVERAGE YEAR, 3 PEOPLE WILL BE
STRUCK AND KILLED BY LIGHTNING IN ALABAMA AND AT LEAST 6 WILL BE
INJURED.

HERE ARE SOME LIGHTNING SAFETY RULES...

MOVE INSIDE A WELL CONSTRUCTED HOUSE, A LARGE BUILDING OR AN ALL-
METAL VEHICLE. STAY AWAY FROM ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES AND DO NOT
USE THE TELEPHONE.

IF YOU ARE IN A BOAT, GET OFF THE WATER AND INTO A SUBSTANTIAL
BUILDING OR AT LEAST INTO AN ENCLOSED AND ALL-METAL VEHICLE WITH THE
WINDOWS UP.  IF YOU ARE CAUGHT IN AN OPEN METAL BOAT, LIE DOWN IN
THE
BOAT WITH CUSHIONS BETWEEN YOU AND THE METAL SIDES AND BOTTOM.

IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTDOORS DURING A STORM AND ARE TOO FAR AWAY FROM
APPROPRIATE SHELTER, YOU ONLY HAVE ONE LAST DITCH EFFORT TO LOWER
YOUR CHANCES OF BEING DIRECTLY STRUCK.  CROUCH DOWN LOW, BUT DO NOT
LIE FLAT ON THE GROUND.  IF IN A RAVINE OR VALLEY, BE ALERT FOR THE
THREAT OF FLOODING.  THE BEST ADVICE IS TO CHECK THE FORECAST AND
WATCH THE SKY FOR STORM DEVELOPMENT AND NOT PUT YOURSELF IN THE
SITUATION WHERE YOU ARE OUT IN THE OPEN WHEN A THUNDERSTORM OCCURS.

MOVE AWAY FROM MOTORCYCLES, SCOOTERS, GOLF CARTS, BICYCLES, TRACTORS
AND OTHER METAL FARM EQUIPMENT.  AVOID WIRE FENCES, CLOTHES LINES,
METAL PIPES AND DRAINS, RAILROAD TRACKS AND ANY OTHER METAL
SURFACES.

AVOID ISOLATED TREES.  STAY AWAY FROM THE TALLEST TREES.  IF CAUGHT
IN THE WOODS, PICK A SMALL GROVE OF TREES AS YOUR SHELTER AND STAND
AT LEAST 5 FEET FROM THE TRUNK OF THE NEAREST TREE TO AVOID FLYING
BARK IF THE TREE IS STRUCK.

AVOID STANDING IN A SMALL ISOLATED SHED OR OTHER SMALL UNGROUNDED
STRUCTURE.

IF YOU ARE WITH A GROUP OF PEOPLE IN AN OPEN AREA AND CAN NOT GET TO
APPROPRIATE SHELTER, SPREAD OUT BEFORE YOU TAKE LAST DITCH EFFORTS.

NOAA WEATHER RADIO ALL HAZARDS WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION AND SAFETY
TIPS ALL THIS WEEK.  YOU CAN UTILIZE THESE SAFETY RULES TO PROTECT
YOURSELF AND YOUR LOVED ONES FROM THE DANGERS OF SEVERE WEATHER.

ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19TH, WE WILL FOCUS ON TORNADO SAFETY AND
AWARENESS. A SPECIAL NOAA WEATHER RADIO ALL HAZARDS TEST WILL BE
CONDUCTED AROUND 9 AM. FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS, VISIT OUR WEB SITE
AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV AND THEN CLICK ON CENTRAL ALABAMA, OR CONTACT JIM
STEFKOVICH, METEOROLOGIST-IN-CHARGE, NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
BIRMINGHAM, AT 205-664-3010, EXTENSION 222, OR JOHN DE BLOCK,
WARNING COORDINATION METEOROLOGIST, AT EXTENSION 223.

$$

Category: Alabama's Weather