NOAA 2007-R211
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Matt Ocana
5/1/07
 NOAA News Releases 2007
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NOAA’S NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TO LAUNCH
PACIFIC NORTHWEST SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK

NOAA’s National Weather Service forecast offices in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington will conduct the annual Pacific Northwest Severe Weather Awareness Week May 6-12. The campaign is designed to raise public attention to the dangers of severe weather in the Pacific Northwest and provide information to help protect life and property.

“Every region of the country experiences potentially life-threatening weather and the Pacific Northwest has its own set of challenges,” said Brig. Gen. David L. Johnson, U.S. Air Force (Ret.), director of NOAA’s National Weather Service. “When National Weather Service forecasters issue warnings for severe weather, it’s important for citizens to know what to do in order to protect themselves and their property.”

“The Pacific Northwest is subjected to severe weather including tornadoes and wildfires,” said Vickie Nadolski, National Weather Service Western Region director. “We use an accurate knowledge of past weather events in our efforts like Severe Weather Awareness Week that raise awareness and preparedness with our key partners and the public.”

Details on the daily topics for Pacific Northwest Severe Weather Awareness Week are available online at http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/pqr/severeawareweek.php. Topics include:

  • May 7 - Flood and Flash Flood Safety. Summer thunderstorms can produce heavy rainfall and local flash flooding. Floods and flash floods can claim lives, especially when people attempt to drive across flooded roadways.
  • May 8 - Tornadoes, Tornado Safety and Special Marine Warnings. Tornadoes are not limited to tornado alley in the Central United States. Tornadoes and waterspouts, the ocean and lake equivalent, do occur in the Pacific Northwest and can lead to fatalities and property damage.
  • May 9 - Wind, Hail, and Lightning Safety. Thunderstorms produce many hazards including damaging winds, large hail, and potentially deadly lightning. There are safety measures that can be taken to decrease the odds of becoming a victim.
  • May 10 - Wildland Fire Awareness. Weather plays a large role in the ignition and spread of wildfires. Lightning from thunderstorms can ignite fires, and gusty winds can help them spread. NOAA’s National Weather Service works closely with land management agencies to help to suppress wildfires and keep firefighters safe.
  • May 11 - Watch and Warning Program. NOAA’s National Weather Service issues Outlooks, Watches and Warnings to alert the public when severe weather conditions are expected. Outlooks and watches are issued for the potential of severe weather within the next few days or even hours. A warning is an urgent message that severe weather is imminent or occurring.
  • May 12 - NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards Information. NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards provides immediate broadcasts of warnings and information pertaining to severe weather and civil emergencies. More than 90 percent of the population in the Pacific Northwest can receive NOAA Weather Radio. Receivers may be purchased on-line and at most radio electronic retailers.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department, is celebrating 200 years of science and service to the nation. From the establishment of the Survey of the Coast in 1807 by Thomas Jefferson to the formation of the Weather Bureau and the Commission of Fish and Fisheries in the 1870s, much of America's scientific heritage is rooted in NOAA.

NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and information service delivery for transportation, and by providing environmental stewardship of our nation's coastal and marine resources. Through the emerging Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), NOAA is working with its federal partners, more than 60 countries and the European Commission to develop a global monitoring network that is as integrated as the planet it observes, predicts and protects.

On the Web:

NOAA: http://www.noaa.gov

NOAA’s National Weather Service: http://www.nws.noaa.gov

Pacific Northwest Severe Weather Awareness Week information (including local media contacts): http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/pqr/severeawareweek.php