PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT   
   NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR   
   600 AM CDT WED SEP 26 2012   
      
   ...TODAY IS FALL SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS DAY IN ARKANSAS...   
      
   ALTHOUGH MOST PEOPLE ASSOCIATE THE SPRING MONTHS WITH SEVERE    
   WEATHER...ARKANSAS TYPICALLY EXPERIENCES A SECONDARY SEVERE WEATHER    
   SEASON IN THE FALL OR EARLY WINTER ABOUT TWO YEARS OUT OF EVERY    
   THREE.    
      
   IN THE YEARS 2001...2002...2004...AND 2005...THE GREATEST    
   TORNADO OUTBREAKS IN THE STATE OCCURRED IN THE FALL. IN 2009...   
   THE NUMBER OF TORNADOES IN THE FALL ALMOST EQUALED THE NUMBER SEEN   
   IN THE SPRING. IN 2010...FOUR PEOPLE WERE KILLED BY A TORNADO    
   IN WASHINGTON COUNTY ON DECEMBER 31ST.   
      
   PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIVED IN ARKANSAS AWHILE LIKELY REMEMBER DECEMBER    
   OF 1982...WHEN TORNADO OUTBREAKS OCCURRED ON DECEMBER 2ND AND AGAIN    
   ON CHRISTMAS EVE.   
      
   AND...THE SPRING SEVERE WEATHER SEASON SOMETIMES DOES NOT WAIT    
   UNTIL SPRING OFFICIALLY BEGINS. IN 2008...THE SUPER TUESDAY TORNADO   
   OUTBREAK OCCURRED ON FEBRUARY 5TH. IN 1999...THE BIG TORNADO   
   OUTBREAK OCCURRED ON JANUARY 21ST. IN 2012...THE BIGGEST TORNADO   
   OUTBREAK OF THE YEAR SO FAR OCCURRED ON JANUARY 22ND.   
      
   SO...EVEN IN THE FALL AND WINTER...WHEN UNUSUALLY WARM AND HUMID AIR    
   INVADES ARKANSAS...SEVERE WEATHER CAN OCCUR WHEN A STRONG COLD FRONT    
   OR UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE COLLIDES WITH THE WARMTH AND MOISTURE.   
      
   THIS FALL AND WINTER...A WEAK TO MODERATE EL NINO PATTERN IS    
   EXPECTED TO OCCUR. EL NINO IS A WARMING OF THE OCEAN WATERS IN THE   
   EQUATORIAL PACIFIC. IN SUCH A PATTERN...THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE   
   UNITED STATES OFTEN EXPERIENCES ABOVE NORMAL RAINFALL.   
      
   IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KEEP UP WITH THE WEATHER WHEN UNSEASONABLY   
   WARM...HUMID WEATHER COMES ALONG. LISTEN TO SEE IF SEVERE WEATHER   
   WATCHES AND WARNINGS ARE ISSUED. TYPICALLY...MANY PEOPLE ARE CAUGHT   
   BY SURPRISE WHEN SEVERE WEATHER OCCURS DURING THE COOLER MONTHS...   
   BECAUSE ALL TOO MANY PEOPLE THINK OF SEVERE WEATHER AS OCCURRING   
   ONLY IN THE SPRING.    
      
   HERE ARE SOME SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY RULES TO KEEP IN MIND...   
      
   BE SURE YOU KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A WATCH AND A WARNING.   
   THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ISSUES A TORNADO WATCH WHEN    
   TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE. A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN A    
   TORNADO HAS BEEN INDICATED ON DOPPLER WEATHER RADAR OR HAS    
   BEEN SIGHTED.   
      
   COUNTIES AND CITIES ARE MENTIONED IN TORNADO WARNINGS...SO KNOW    
   THE COUNTIES AND CITIES NEAR WHERE YOU ARE. IF YOU ARE NEW TO    
   THE AREA...KEEP A MAP HANDY FOR REFERENCE.   
      
   MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE A RELIABLE WAY TO RECEIVE WEATHER   
   INFORMATION. BATTERY-POWERED NOAA WEATHER RADIOS ARE AN    
   EXCELLENT WAY TO KEEP UP WITH THE WEATHER...EVEN IF YOUR POWER    
   HAS GONE OUT. A BATTERY-POWERED RADIO IS ALSO A NECESSITY IF YOU    
   ARE PLANNING TO BE OUTDOORS.   
      
   IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE AT A LARGE GATHERING...SUCH AS AT A    
   SCHOOL...STADIUM OR PLACE OF WORSHIP...MAKE SURE THAT SOMEONE HAS    
   BEEN DESIGNATED TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE WEATHER AND TO LISTEN FOR    
   THE LATEST WATCHES AND WARNINGS.   
      
   A TORNADO SHELTER...TORNADO CELLAR...OR A SAFE ROOM IS THE SAFEST   
   PLACE TO BE...BUT MOST HOMES DO NOT HAVE THESE. THE NEXT SAFEST    
   PLACE IS USUALLY A BASEMENT...BUT THESE ARE NOT COMMON IN    
   ARKANSAS. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE ANY OF THESE...GO TO AN INTERIOR    
   ROOM OR HALLWAY ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A HOUSE OR BUILDING. YOU    
   WANT TO PUT AS MANY WALLS AS POSSIBLE BETWEEN YOU AND THE   
   OUTSIDE. FURTHER PROTECTION CAN BE PROVIDED BY GETTING UNDER A    
   MATTRESS OR A HEAVY PIECE OF FURNITURE.   
      
   MANY BUSINESSES...SUCH AS LARGE STORES...SHOPPING MALLS...   
   HOSPITALS...NURSING HOMES...AND SCHOOLS HAVE PRE-ARRANGED SAFETY   
   PLANS AND DESIGNATED SAFE AREAS. IF YOU ARE IN ONE OF THESE   
   PLACES...FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN INSIDE THESE BUILDINGS.   
      
   STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.   
      
   IF YOU ARE IN A VEHICLE...YOUR BEST OPTION IS TO MOVE TO A STURDY   
   BUILDING.    
      
   MOBILE HOMES...EVEN IF TIED DOWN...OFFER LITTLE PROTECTION DURING    
   A TORNADO...AND SHOULD BE ABANDONED.   
      
   REMEMBER THAT FLYING DEBRIS CAUSES THE MOST CASUALTIES IN A    
   TORNADO.   
      
   KEEP IN MIND THAT THE ELDERLY...THE VERY YOUNG...AND PEOPLE WITH   
   PHYSICAL OR MENTAL CHALLENGES WILL OFTEN NEED MORE TIME TO GET TO   
   SAFETY. MAKE SPECIAL PROVISIONS IF YOU ARE A CARE-GIVER FOR THESE   
   PEOPLE.   
      
   &&   
      
   PLEASE VISIT OUR WEB SITE AT   WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/LZK   
      
      
   $$   
      
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