PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT   
   NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR   
   600 AM CST THU MAR 5 2015   
      
   ...TODAYS TOPIC FOR SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IS   
   LIGHTNING...   
      
   ARKANSAS GOVERNOR ASA HUTCHINSON HAS PROCLAIMED THE WEEK OF   
   MARCH 1ST THROUGH 7TH AS SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK   
   IN ARKANSAS.   
      
   A DIFFERENT TOPIC WILL BE DISCUSSED EACH DAY...AND TODAYS TOPIC   
   IS LIGHTNING.   
      
   LIGHTNING IS A HAZARD IN ALL THUNDERSTORMS...WHETHER THEY ARE   
   SEVERE OR NOT. IN THE LAST 30 YEARS...LIGHTNING WAS THE   
   THIRD DEADLIEST THUNDERSTORM HAZARD BEHIND FLASH FLOODS   
   AND TORNADOES. THERE ARE AN AVERAGE OF 50 FATALITIES A YEAR   
   DUE TO LIGHTNING ACROSS THE COUNTRY.   
      
   IN ARKANSAS IN 2014...LIGHTNING WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR 2 DEATHS   
   AND 10 INJURIES.   
      
   MOST LIGHTNING DEATHS AND INJURIES OCCUR IN THE SUMMER /JUNE...   
   JULY AND AUGUST/ WHEN PEOPLE ARE OUTDOORS.   
      
   IF A PERSON IS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING...THAT PERSONS BODY WILL NOT   
   RETAIN ANY ELECTRICAL CHARGE. THUS...THE INJURED PERSON CAN AND   
   SHOULD BE CARED FOR IMMEDIATELY.   
      
   LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE AS MUCH AS 10 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM   
   CLOUD. GIVEN THIS...IT IS NO SURPRISE THAT MOST LIGHTNING DEATHS   
   OCCUR AS A THUNDERSTORM IS APPROACHING OR MOVING AWAY...AND NOT   
   NECESSARILY OVERHEAD.   
      
   LIGHTNING TENDS TO STRIKE TALL OBJECTS. THE AIR IS A POOR CONDUCTOR   
   OF ELECTRICITY...SO LIGHTNING WILL OFTEN GO THE SHORTEST DISTANCE   
   TO MAKE A CONNECTION FROM CLOUD TO GROUND.   
      
   STATISTICS SHOW THAT ARKANSAS IS A TOP 10 STATE AS FAR AS LIGHTNING   
   ACTIVITY. FROM 2004 THROUGH 2013...THE STATE WAS RANKED 6TH   
   NATIONALLY FOR LIGHTNING STRIKES /MORE THAN 850000 CLOUD-TO-GROUND   
   LIGHTNING FLASHES PER YEAR/.   
      
   ...SOME LIGHTNING SAFETY RULES...   
      
   REMEMBER...IT IS LIGHTNING THAT CAUSES THUNDER. IF YOU CAN HEAR   
   THUNDER...YOU ARE IN DANGER FROM LIGHTNING. GO INDOORS IMMEDIATELY.   
   A HARD-TOP CAR IS ALSO A SAFE PLACE. KEEP THE WINDOWS ROLLED   
   UP AND DO NOT TOUCH METAL INSIDE THE VEHICLE.   
      
   DO NOT TAKE SHELTER IN SMALL SHEDS OR UNDER ISOLATED TREES. STAY   
   AWAY FROM HIGHER ELEVATIONS SPOTS SUCH AS HILLTOPS...AND AVOID NEARBY   
   POLES AND TOWERS.   
      
   MOVE AWAY FROM CHAIN-LINK FENCES AND OTHER METAL FENCES SUCH AS   
   THOSE AROUND BALLPARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS.   
      
   MOTORCYCLES...SCOOTERS...BICYCLES...AND FARM TRACTORS ARE NOT   
   SAFE PLACES.   
      
   IF YOU ARE IN THE WATER...GET OUT IMMEDIATELY. IF YOU ARE IN A   
   BOAT...HEAD TOWARD SAFE HARBOR.   
      
   TELEPHONE LINES AND METAL PIPES CAN CONDUCT ELECTRICITY...SO   
   DO NOT USE ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES OR CORDED PHONES. COMPUTERS AND   
   OTHER EXPENSIVE ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT MAY BE DAMAGED BY POWER SURGES.   
   YOU MAY CONSIDER UNPLUGGING THESE ITEMS.   
      
   STAY OUT OF THE BATHTUB OR SHOWER.   
      
   GET OFF THE GOLF COURSE.   
      
   &&   
      
   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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