PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT   
   NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR   
   800 AM CST SUN MAR 1 2015   
      
   ...SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN ARKANSAS BEGINS TODAY...   
      
   ARKANSAS GOVERNOR ASA HUTCHINSON HAS PROCLAIMED THE WEEK OF   
   MARCH 1ST THROUGH 7TH AS SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK   
   IN ARKANSAS.   
      
   SPONSORS OF SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK ARE...   
   NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE   
   ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT   
   ARKANSAS STATE POLICE   
   ARKANSAS NATIONAL GUARD   
   ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION   
   ARKANSAS INSURANCE DEPARTMENT   
   UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE   
   U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS   
   ARKANSAS NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION   
   ARKANSAS FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION   
   AMERICAN RED CROSS   
   SALVATION ARMY   
   ENTERGY ARKANSAS   
   ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES OF ARKANSAS   
   UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK   
      
   CITIZENS ARE URGED TO USE THIS WEEK TO UNDERSTAND THE HAZARDS   
   OF SEVERE WEATHER...AND TO REVIEW THE SAFETY RULES WHICH THEY   
   CAN USE TO PROTECT THEMSELVES WHEN SEVERE WEATHER OCCURS.   
      
   A PARTICULAR SUBJECT WILL BE DISCUSSED EACH DAY.   
      
   MONDAY...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS   
   TUESDAY...METHODS OF RECEIVING SEVERE WEATHER INFORMATION   
   WEDNESDAY...TORNADOES   
   THURSDAY...LIGHTNING   
   FRIDAY...FLASH FLOODS   
      
   IN 2014...ONLY 20 TORNADOES WERE DOCUMENTED IN ARKANSAS. IT   
   WAS GENERALLY A SLOW YEAR FOR SEVERE WEATHER...MAINLY DUE   
   TO COOLER THAN NORMAL CONDITIONS AND A LACK OF INSTABILITY.   
   IT WAS THE SIXTH COOLEST YEAR ON RECORD LOCALLY. IN AN   
   AVERAGE YEAR...33 TORNADOES WOULD BE EXPECTED IN THE STATE.   
      
   SEVENTEEN LIVES WERE LOST TO TORNADOES IN 2014...WITH   
   SIXTEEN OF THESE DUE TO A MONSTER TORNADO THAT TRACKED   
   THROUGH PULASKI...FAULKNER AND WHITE COUNTIES ON APRIL 27TH.   
   THIS TORNADO WAS RATED EF4...AND WAS THE DEADLIEST SINGLE   
   TORNADO SINCE THE JONESBORO TWISTER OF MAY 15TH OF 1968   
   /35 FATALITIES/.   
      
   OF COURSE...TORNADOES ARE NOT THE ONLY HAZARD. THUNDERSTORM   
   STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS CLAIMED FOUR LIVES IN 2014...AND THERE   
   WERE TWO FATALITIES DUE TO LIGHTNING.   
      
   DURING SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK...THE NATIONAL WEATHER   
   SERVICE IS ASKING PEOPLE TO THINK ABOUT WHERE THEY WOULD GO   
   WHEN SEVERE WEATHER THREATENS. SO...IF A TORNADO WARNING WAS   
   ISSUED...PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW WHERE TO GO FOR SAFETY WITHOUT   
   HESITATION.   
      
   IN GENERAL...THE SAFEST PLACE IS A BUILDING ON A PERMANENT   
   FOUNDATION ON THE LOWEST FLOOR IN AN INTERIOR ROOM. THE IDEA   
   IS TO PUT AS MANY WALLS BETWEEN YOURSELF AND THE OUTDOORS.   
      
   TO PRACTICE GOING TO A PLACE OF SAFETY...A DRILL IS RECOMMENDED.   
   IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE DRILL TAKE PLACE WHEN THE NOAA WEATHER   
   RADIO ALARM IS SOUNDED DURING THE ROUTINE WEEKLY TEST. THIS TEST   
   IS ON WEDNESDAY BETWEEN 11 AM AND NOON. IN THE EVENT OF   
   THREATENING WEATHER ON WEDNESDAY...THE TEST IS POSTPONED UNTIL   
   THE NEXT GOOD WEATHER DAY.   
      
   &&   
      
   FOR A LIST OF ALL THE TORNADOES AND OTHER SIGNIFICANT WEATHER   
   EVENTS THAT OCCURRED IN 2014...   
      
   HTTP://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/IMAGES/LZK/PDF/STORMSOF2014.PDF   
      
   $$   
      
      
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