Photo taken on the Alabama-Tennessee state line at 7:46 am.
This was taken by my son Joe.
...THIS IS HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS WEEK...
TODAYS TOPIC: DISASTER PREVENTION PLAN
THE GOAL OF HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS WEEK IS TO PROVIDE EDUCATION
ABOUT THE HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH A HURRICANE WHICH WILL PREPARE YOU
TO TAKE ACTION AS A HURRICANE APPROACHES. THIS INFORMATION MAY SAVE
YOUR LIFE, AT WORK, HOME, ON THE ROAD, OR ON THE WATER. EACH DAY OF
HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS WEEK FEATURES A UNIQUE TOPIC RELEVANT TO
EDUCATION AND AWARENESS. HURRICANE SEASON OFFICIALLY RUNS FROM JUNE
1ST UNTIL NOVEMBER 30TH FOR THE ATLANTIC, CARIBBEAN AND GULF OF
MEXICO.
TODAY WE WILL FOCUS ON DEVELOPING A DISASTER PREVENTION PLAN.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN DO IS TO BE WELL INFORMED AND
PREPARED. THE FIRST STEP IN DEVELOPING A DISASTER PLAN IS TO
RECOGNIZE THE TYPES OF HAZARDS THAT MAY EFFECT YOUR HOME OR
COMMUNITY.
HERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS YOU NEED TO ANSWER...
ARE YOU NEAR A FLOOD ZONE?
DO YOU LOSE POWER FREQUENTLY DURING WIND STORMS?
DO YOU HAVE A SAFE PLACE IN YOUR HOME?
DO YOU HAVE PROPER INSURANCE COVERAGE?
DO YOU HAVE NON-PERISHABLE SUPPLIES?
DO YOU HAVE A FIRST AID KIT?
WHEN YOU HEAR OF A TROPICAL STORM OR HURRICANE WATCH OR WARNING,
PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO ITS EXPECTED ARRIVAL TIME AND LOCAL
IMPACTS, SUCH AS HIGH WINDS AND FLOODING.
A SAFE PLACE IS A LOCATION WITHIN YOUR HOME THAT WILL PROTECT YOU
FROM STORM DAMAGE. ONCE A HURRICANE MOVES ONSHORE, IT WILL
WEAKEN, BUT MAY STILL PRODUCE WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 100 MPH MANY
MILES INLAND. THE SAFEST PLACE IS A BASEMENT WITH NO WINDOWS. IF
YOU DO NOT HAVE A BASEMENT, GO TO THE INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM
ON THE LOWEST FLOOR WITHOUT WINDOWS. INLAND TROPICAL STORMS CAN ALSO
PRODUCE TORNADOES. IF A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA, GO
TO YOUR SAFE PLACE IMMEDIATELY.
UNLIKE TORNADOES, HURRICANES CAN PRODUCE DAMAGE OVER A LARGE AREA.
DUE TO THE WIDESPREAD NATURE OF THE DAMAGE, IT WILL TAKE LONGER FOR
POWER CREWS TO RESTORE POWER TO EVERYONE...SEVERAL DAYS IN SOME
INSTANCES...SO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE SEVERAL DAYS OF EMERGENCY SUPPLIES
ON HAND.
HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS WEEK CONTINUES ON SATURDAY WITH INFORMATION ON
HURRICANE AWARENESS.
FOR ADDITIONAL HISTORICAL OR PREPAREDNESS INFORMATION, YOU
CAN VISIT THESE SITES ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB:
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA
WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/BMX
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE, ALABAMA
WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/MOB
NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER
WWW.NHC.NOAA.GOV
WWW.NHC.NOAA.GOV/HAW2/ENGLISH/INTRO.SHTML
FEMA
WWW.FEMA.GOV/AREYOUREADY/HURRICANES.SHTM
AMERICAN RED CROSS
WWW.REDCROSS.ORG/SERVICES/DISASTERS
NOAA COASTAL SERVICES CENTER - HISTORICAL HURRICANE TRACKS
HTTP://MAPS.CSC.NOAA.GOV/HURRICANES
$$
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
...THIS IS HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS WEEK...
TODAYS TOPIC: THE FORECAST PROCESS
THE GOAL OF HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS WEEK IS TO PROVIDE EDUCATION
ABOUT THE HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH A HURRICANE WHICH WILL PREPARE YOU
TO TAKE ACTION AS A HURRICANE APPROACHES. THIS INFORMATION MAY SAVE
YOUR LIFE, AT WORK, HOME, ON THE ROAD, OR ON THE WATER. EACH DAY OF
HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS WEEK FEATURES A UNIQUE TOPIC RELEVANT TO
EDUCATION AND AWARENESS. HURRICANE SEASON OFFICIALLY RUNS FROM JUNE
1ST UNTIL NOVEMBER 30TH FOR THE ATLANTIC, CARIBBEAN AND GULF OF
MEXICO.
TODAY WE WILL FOCUS ON THE FORECAST PROCESS OF ISSUING WATCHES,
WARNINGS, AND STATEMENTS. THE FIRST STEP IN THE FORECAST PROCESS
IS TO ACQUIRE QUALITY OBSERVATIONAL DATA. THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE (NWS) AND NHC (NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER) HAVE MANY TOOLS
TO MONITOR TROPICAL SYSTEMS OVER THE VAST OCEANS. SATELLITES ARE THE
MAIN TOOL, ALTHOUGH BUOYS AND SHIP REPORTS PROVIDE VALUABLE SURFACE
DATA. BUOYS ARE OBSERVATIONAL PLATFORMS THAT FLOAT ON THE OCEANS
SURFACE, AND MEASURE WAVE HEIGHT, WATER AND AIR TEMPERATURES, AND
WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION. AS THE STORMS MOVE CLOSER TO LAND,
OBSERVATIONS FROM RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT, RADIOSONDES, AND AUTOMATED
SURFACE OBSERVING SYSTEMS (ASOS) POSITIONED ALONG THE COAST ARE ALSO
USED.
ALL THE OBSERVATIONAL DATA IS INGESTED INTO SUPERCOMPUTERS THAT
PERFORM MILLIONS OF CALCULATIONS TO GENERATE PREDICTIONS OF
HURRICANE MOVEMENT AND INTENSITY. THE MODEL OUTPUT IS USED AS
GUIDANCE DURING THE FORECAST COORDINATION PROCESS. THE LOCAL WEATHER
FORECAST OFFICE (WFO) WILL HAVE INTERNAL COORDINATION CALLS WITH THE
NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER (NHC). ONCE THE WFO'S AND THE NHC AGREE ON
A COURSE OF ACTION, THEN THE NHC WILL ISSUE THE APPROPRIATE WATCHES
AND WARNINGS FOR THE AFFECTED COASTAL AREAS.
WFO BIRMINGHAM WILL ALSO ISSUE SEVERAL DIFFERENT PRODUCTS WHEN
TROPICAL STORM OR HURRICANE FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS CENTRAL
ALABAMA. THESE PRODUCTS INCLUDE...
INLAND TROPICAL STORM/HURRICANE WATCHES (ISSUED 36 HOURS IN ADVANCE
OF TROPICAL STORM/HURRICANE FORCE WINDS)....AND INLAND TROPICAL
STORM/HURRICANE WARNINGS (ISSUED 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE OF TROPICAL
STORM/HURRICANE FORCE WINDS).
A HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT (HLS). THIS PRODUCT IS DESIGNED TO
INFORM MEDIA, LOCAL DECISION MAKERS, AND THE PUBLIC OF THE STORMS
ANTICIPATED EFFECTS ON THE LOCAL AREA...AS WELL AS CURRENT WATCHES
AND WARNINGS IN PLACE.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND MEDIA FOR THE LATEST STORM
INFORMATION.
HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS WEEK CONTINUES ON FRIDAY WITH INFORMATION ON
DEVELOPING A DISASTER PREVENTION PLAN.
TO GET SPECIFIC STORM INFORMATION WITH MAPS, VISIT THESE WEB SITES.
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA
WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/BMX
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE, ALABAMA
WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/MOB
NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER
WWW.NHC.NOAA.GOV
WWW.NHC.NOAA.GOV/HAW2/ENGLISH/INTRO.SHTML
FEMA
WWW.FEMA.GOV/AREYOUREADY/HURRICANES.SHTM
AMERICAN RED CROSS
WWW.REDCROSS.ORG/SERVICES/DISASTERS
NOAA COASTAL SERVICES CENTER - HISTORICAL HURRICANE TRACKS
HTTP://MAPS.CSC.NOAA.GOV/HURRICANES
$$
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
...THIS IS HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS WEEK...
TODAYS TOPIC: INLAND FLOODING
THE GOAL OF HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS WEEK IS TO PROVIDE EDUCATION
ABOUT THE HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH A HURRICANE WHICH WILL PREPARE YOU
TO TAKE ACTION AS A HURRICANE APPROACHES. THIS INFORMATION MAY SAVE
YOUR LIFE, AT WORK, HOME, ON THE ROAD, OR ON THE WATER. EACH DAY OF
HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS WEEK FEATURES A UNIQUE TOPIC RELEVANT TO
EDUCATION AND AWARENESS. HURRICANE SEASON OFFICIALLY RUNS FROM JUNE
1ST UNTIL NOVEMBER 30TH FOR THE ATLANTIC, CARIBBEAN AND GULF OF
MEXICO.
TODAY WE WILL FOCUS ON INLAND FLOODING. WHEN IT COMES TO HURRICANES,
WIND SPEEDS DO NOT TELL THE WHOLE STORY. HURRICANES PRODUCE STORM
SURGES, TORNADOES, AND OFTEN THE MOST DEADLY OF ALL, INLAND
FLOODING. IN THE 1970S THROUGH THE 1990S, INLAND FLOODING
WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR MORE THAN HALF OF THE DEATHS ASSOCIATED WITH
TROPICAL SYSTEMS IN THE UNITED STATES.
INLAND FLOODING CAN BE A MAJOR THREAT TO COMMUNITIES HUNDREDS OF
MILES FROM THE COAST AS INTENSE RAIN FALLS FROM THESE IMMENSE
TROPICAL AIR MASSES. SOME OF THE WORST INLAND FLOODING MAY NOT
COME FROM INLAND MOVING HURRICANES, BUT FROM WEAKER TROPICAL
SYSTEMS THAT MOVE SLOWLY ACROSS THE AREA.
INLAND FLOODING CAN INCLUDE BOTH RIVER AND FLASH FLOODING. FLASH
FLOODING TYPICALLY OCCURS WITHIN SEVERAL HOURS OF HEAVY RAINFALL,
AND IS THE MOST DANGEROUS TYPE OF INLAND FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING CAN
BE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS AT NIGHT, WHEN RISING WATERS CAN NOT BE
EASILY SEEN. BE AWARE OF STREAMS, DRAINAGE CHANNELS, AND AREAS KNOWN
TO FLOOD.
WHEN YOU HEAR OF AN APPROACHING TROPICAL STORM OR HURRICANE, THINK
INLAND FLOODING.
DETERMINE WHETHER YOU LIVE IN A FLOOD ZONE.
IF ADVISED TO EVACUATE, DO SO IMMEDIATELY.
KEEP ABREAST OF ROAD CONDITIONS.
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS A FLOODED ROADWAY. REMEMBER THIS SIMPLE
SLOGAN...TURN AROUND, DON'T DROWN.
MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS WEEK CONTINUES ON THURSDAY WITH INFORMATION ON
THE FORECAST PROCESS.
FOR ADDITIONAL HISTORICAL OR PREPAREDNESS INFORMATION, YOU CAN VISIT
THESE SITES ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB:
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA
WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/BMX
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE, ALABAMA
WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/MOB
NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER
WWW.NHC.NOAA.GOV
WWW.NHC.NOAA.GOV/HAW2/ENGLISH/INTRO.SHTML
FEMA
WWW.FEMA.GOV/AREYOUREADY/HURRICANES.SHTM
AMERICAN RED CROSS
WWW.REDCROSS.ORG/SERVICES/DISASTERS
NOAA COASTAL SERVICES CENTER - HISTORICAL HURRICANE TRACKS
HTTP://MAPS.CSC.NOAA.GOV/HURRICANES
$$
JD/02
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Looking NNW from Decatur, AL at 11:50 a.m.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
...THIS IS HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS WEEK...
TODAYS TOPIC: HIGH WINDS AND TORNADOES
THE GOAL OF HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS WEEK IS TO PROVIDE EDUCATION ABOUT THE HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH A HURRICANE WHICH WILL PREPARE YOU TO TAKE ACTION AS A HURRICANE APPROACHES. THIS INFORMATION MAY SAVE YOUR LIFE, AT WORK, HOME, ON THE ROAD, OR ON THE WATER. EACH DAY OF HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS WEEK FEATURES A UNIQUE TOPIC RELEVANT TO EDUCATION AND AWARENESS. HURRICANE SEASON OFFICIALLY RUNS FROM JUNE 1ST UNTIL NOVEMBER 30TH FOR THE ATLANTIC, CARIBBEAN AND GULF OF MEXICO.
TODAY WE WILL FOCUS ON THE HAZARDS OF HIGH WINDS AND TORNADOES ASSOCIATED WITH TROPICAL SYSTEMS. THESE ARE TWO HAZARDS THAT CAN DIRECTLY IMPACT CENTRAL ALABAMA.
THE STRONGEST WINDS ASSOCIATED WITH A TROPICAL SYSTEM ARE TYPICALLY ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE SYSTEM, CLOSEST TO FEEDER BANDS AND NEAR THE CENTER OF CIRCULATION. WIND SPEEDS USUALLY DECREASE RATHER SIGNIFICANTLY WITHIN 12 HOURS AFTER LANDFALL. NONETHELESS, WINDS CAN STAY ABOVE HURRICANE FORCE, ESPECIALLY IN GUSTS, WELL INLAND AND CAN HAVE A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON CENTRAL ALABAMA. IN MOST CASES, THESE SEVERE WINDS LAST MUCH LONGER THAN THE TYPICAL SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND DO NOT SUBSIDE UNTIL THE SYSTEM MOVES OUT OF THE AREA OR IT WEAKENS. IN SOME CASES, THESE WINDS MAY PERSIST FOR MANY HOURS. JUST WITHIN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS...KATRINA (2005), DENNIS (2005), IVAN (2004) AND OPAL (1995) ALL PRODUCED WINDS GUSTS RANGING FROM 50 MPH
TO 90 MPH ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA.
BEFORE HURRICANE SEASON BEGINS, ASSESS YOUR PROPERTY TO ENSURE THAT LANDSCAPING AND TREES DO NOT BECOME A WIND HAZARD. TRIM DEAD WOOD AND OVERHANGING BRANCHES FROM ALL TREES. ANY TREE NEAR YOUR HOME IS AN IMMEDIATE HAZARD. CENTRAL ALABAMA RECEIVES A MAJORITY OF ITS DAMAGE DUE TO FALLEN TREES. THESE TREES CAN ALSO KNOCK POWERLINES DOWN AND CAUSE POWER OUTAGES.
MOST MOBILE OR. MANUFACTURED HOMES ARE NOT BUILT TO WITHSTAND HURRICANE FORCE WINDS. RESIDENTS OF HOMES NOT MEETING THAT LEVEL OF SAFETY SHOULD RELOCATE TO A NEARBY SAFER STRUCTURE WELL IN ADVANCE OF AN APPROACHING TROPICAL STORM OR HURRICANE. IF A TROPICAL STORM OR HURRICANE WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA, SECURE ALL LAWN FURNITURE AND OTHER OUTSIDE OBJECTS THAT COULD BECOME A PROJECTILE IN HIGH WIND SITUATIONS.
MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER LOCAL MEDIA SOURCES CLOSELY AS THE TROPICAL SYSTEM APPROACHES. LISTEN FOR DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS AND GO TO YOUR SAFE ROOM WHEN DIRECTED TO DO SO. DO NOT LEAVE THE SAFE ROOM UNTIL LOCAL OFFICIALS HAVE DEEMED IT SAFE. SOMETIMES IT APPEARS THAT THE WINDS HAVE SUBSIDED OR HAVE GONE CALM WHEN DANGER STILL EXISTS.
IN THE EVENT YOU LOSE POWER FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, A GENERATOR MAY BE NECESSARY FOR YOUR POWER SUPPLY. PLEASE BE AWARE THAT ANY GASOLINE RUN MACHINERY PRODUCES EXHAUST. THIS EXHAUST CAN BE HARMFUL OR DEADLY WHEN INHALED. USE THIS TYPE OF MACHINERY ONLY IN A WELL VENTILATED AREA.
TROPICAL SYSTEMS CAN ALSO PRODUCE TORNADOES THAT ADD TO THE OVERALL DESTRUCTIVE POWER. TORNADOES ARE MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR IN THE RIGHT FRONT QUADRANT OF THE TROPICAL SYSTEM. MANY TORNADOES ARE ASSOCIATED WITH RAIN-BANDS THAT ARE WELL AWAY FROM THE CENTER OF CIRCULATION. IN SOME CASES, THIS DISTANCE CAN BE HUNDREDS OF MILES.
RITA (2005) PRODUCED THE SECOND LARGEST ONE DAY TORNADO OUTBREAK IN CENTRAL ALABAMA HISTORY AND THE CENTER OF CIRCULATION WAS SOME 350 MILES TO THE WEST.
PREPAREDNESS IS CRITICAL IN THESE TORNADO SITUATIONS. TORNADOES PRODUCED WITHIN A TROPICAL SYSTEM ARE TYPICALLY FAST DEVELOPING AND SHORT LIVED BUT CAN PRODUCE SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE OR INJURY. DUE TO THIS FAST DEVELOPING NATURE, WARNING LEAD TIMES MAY BE SHORTER THAN NORMAL.
THESE TROPICALLY INDUCED TORNADOES ARE USUALLY NOT ACCOMPANIED BY LIGHTNING, THUNDER OR HAIL, CLUES THAT MANY CITIZENS RELY ON IN IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL PERSONAL RISKS.
WHEN A TORNADO WATCH IS ISSUED, BE PREPARED TO TAKE QUICK ACTION. WHEN A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED, MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM AWAY FROM ALL WINDOWS. AS A LAST RESORT, GET UNDER HEAVY FURNITURE AWAY FROM
ALL WINDOWS.
HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS WEEK CONTINUES ON WEDNESDAY WITH INFORMATION
ON INLAND FLOODING...ANOTHER POTENTIAL DIRECT HAZARD TO CENTRAL ALABAMA.
FOR ADDITIONAL HISTORICAL OR PREPAREDNESS INFORMATION, YOU CAN VISIT THESE SITES ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB:
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA
WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/BMX
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE, ALABAMA
WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/MOB
NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER
WWW.NHC.NOAA.GOV
WWW.NHC.NOAA.GOV/HAW2/ENGLISH/INTRO.SHTML
FEMA
WWW.FEMA.GOV/AREYOUREADY/HURRICANES.SHTM
AMERICAN RED CROSS
WWW.REDCROSS.ORG/SERVICES/DISASTERS
NOAA COASTAL SERVICES CENTER - HISTORICAL HURRICANE TRACKS
HTTP://MAPS.CSC.NOAA.GOV/HURRICANES
$$
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
..NOAA WEATHER RADIO TRANSMITTER IN FORT PAYNE OFFLINE...
NOAA WEATHER RADIO STATION WWF-44...TRANSMITTING OUT OF FORT
PAYNE ON A FREQUENCY OF 162.500 MHZ...IS OFF THE AIR DUE TO A
POSSIBLE POWER FAILURE OR PHONE LINE PROBLEM. WE HAVE CONTACTED
TECHNICIANS TO FIX THE PROBLEM.
DURING THE OUTAGE...PERSONS ACROSS THE LISTENING AREA CAN GET
THEIR WEATHER INFORMATION FROM OTHER STATIONS. THEY INCLUDE:
WNG-554 OUT OF WINCHESTER...TRANSMITTING ON 162.525 MHZ.
WNG-642 OUT OF ARAB...TRANSMITTING ON 162.525 MHZ.
OF COURSE...THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION IS ALSO AVAILABLE AT
OUR WEBSITE...AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/HUNTSVILLE /ALL LOWER CASE/.
WE APOLOGIZE FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE THIS OUTAGE MAY CAUSE.
$$
KULA
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
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