THE GOVERNORS OF LOUISIANA, ARKANSAS, OKLAHOMA, AND TEXAS HAVE PROCLAIMED THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 20TH THROUGH THE 25TH, 2011, AS SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK FOR THEIR RESPECTIVE STATES .

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PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
348 AM CST SUN FEB 20 2011

...THE GOVERNORS OF LOUISIANA...ARKANSAS...OKLAHOMA...AND TEXAS HAVE
PROCLAIMED THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 20TH THROUGH THE 25TH...2011...AS
SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK FOR THEIR RESPECTIVE STATES...

SPRING IS THE SEASON WHEN SEVERE WEATHER IS MOST LIKELY TO STRIKE.
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN FORM IN A MATTER OF MINUTES...BRINGING LARGE
HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...DANGEROUS TORNADOES...AND DEADLY LIGHTNING.
THESE STORMS CAN ALSO PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAIN...DROPPING SEVERAL
INCHES IN THE SPACE OF AN HOUR...AND CAUSING DEADLY FLASH FLOODING.

SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IS THE TIME TO TALK WITH THE PUBLIC
ABOUT HOW WE CAN PREPARE FOR THESE SEVERE WEATHER RISKS.  THIS
INCLUDES HAVING AN EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN AT HOME...SCHOOL...AND THE
OFFICE.  AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS PLAN IS TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE
UNDERSTANDS IT...AND IS READY TO PUT IT INTO ACTION WHEN NECESSARY.

DURING SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK...THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE WILL REVIEW THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF SEVERE WEATHER...
AND HIGHLIGHT SAFETY RULES.  SPECIAL PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENTS
WILL BE ISSUED EACH DAY...AS INDICATED BY THE FOLLOWING LIST.
NEWSPAPERS AND SAFETY ORGANIZATIONS CAN HELP TO PROMOTE AWARENESS...
BY PRINTING AND DISTRIBUTING THE SAFETY RULES. THE BROADCAST MEDIA
CAN ALSO HELP TO GET THIS INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC.

SUNDAY...MORNING...INTRODUCTION TO SEVERE WEATHER WEEK.
       AFTERNOON...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATCHES AND WARNINGS.
MONDAY...MORNING...NOAA WEATHER RADIO ALL HAZARDS.
       AFTERNOON...DAMAGING WIND AND HAIL.
TUESDAY...MORNING...DROUGHT AND WILDFIRES.
        AFTERNOON...TORNADOES AND TORNADO SAFETY.
WEDESDAY...MORNING...LIGHTNING FACTS AND THE 30 30 RULE.
         AFTERNOON...SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY FOR BOATERS.
THURSDAY...MORNING...TURN AROUND...DON'T DROWN.
         AFTERNOON...FLOOD AND FLASH FLOOD SAFETY.
FRIDAY...MORNING...AMATEUR RADIO AND SKYWARN SPOTTERS.
       AFTERNOON...REPORTING SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NATIONAL
                   WEATHER SERVICE.

THE FOUR STATE REGION RECORDED 25 TORNADOES IN 2010 WHICH IS FAR
LESS THAN THE 83 TORNADOES WHICH OCCURRED IN 2009...HOWEVER 2010 DID
INCLUDE THE STRONGEST TORNADO TO STRIKE THE REGION SINCE THE 1999
BENTON TORNADO.  ON NOVEMBER 29...2010...AN EF4 TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN
WEST OF THE COMMUNITY OF ATLANTA LOUISIANA.  FORTUNATELY...NO
INJURIES OR FATALITIES OCCURRED.  ALTHOUGH THIS WAS A FALL TORNADO...
SOME OF THE LARGEST OUTBREAKS ACROSS THE REGION HAVE OCCURRED IN THE
SPRING...INCLUDING THE APRIL 2009...APRIL 2000...MAY 1999...AND APRIL
1999 OUTBREAKS WHICH FEATURED NUMEROUS STRONG TO VIOLENT TORNADOES.
THE 25 TORNADOES CAN BE BROKEN DOWN INTO THE FOLLOWING NUMBERS...1
EF4...1 EF3...1 EF2...4 EF1...18 EF0.


THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE INVOLVED IN
MAKING SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK A SUCCESS.