PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
1023 AM EST MON MAR 7 2005

<b>...PENNSYLVANIA AND NEW JERSEY HAZARDOUS WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK...</b>

THIS IS THE FIRST OF A FIVE PART SERIES ON SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY
WHICH WILL RUN EACH DAY DURING PENNSYLVANIA AND NEW JERSEY'S
HAZARDOUS WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK. HAZARDOUS WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK
RUNS FROM MARCH 6TH THROUGH MARCH 12TH.

<b>...TORNADOES...THE MOST VIOLENT STORMS ON EARTH...</b>

IN AN AVERAGE YEAR...NEARLY 1000 TORNADOES ARE REPORTED NATIONWIDE
WITH 80 DEATHS AND OVER 1500 INJURIES. WORLDWIDE...THE UNITED STATES
RANKS NUMBER ONE IN THE HIGHEST OCCURRENCE OF THESE POWERFUL STORMS.
THE MOST VIOLENT TORNADOES ARE CAPABLE OF TREMENDOUS DESTRUCTION AS
WIND SPEEDS CAN EXCEED 250 MPH. EVEN THOUGH TORNADOES OF THIS
MAGNITUDE ARE EXTREMELY INFREQUENT IN THIS AREA, IT IS STILL
IMPORTANT TO KNOW TORNADO SAFETY PRECAUTIONS. EVEN A WEAK TORNADO
CAN CAUSE A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF DAMAGE!

THE FUJITA SCALE, WHICH RUNS FROM F0 TO F5, IS USED TO RATE TORNADO
STRENGTH. THE WEAKEST TORNADO IS RANKED AS AN F0 AND HAS ESTIMATED
WIND SPEEDS LESS THAN 72 MPH. F5 IS THE STRONGEST RANKING RESERVED
FOR TORNADOES WITH WIND SPEEDS GREATER THAN 260 MPH. AGAIN...MOST
TORNADOES IN EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA AND NEW JERSEY ARE ON THE WEAKER
SIDE. HOWEVER...A FEW STRONG TORNADOES HAVE OCCURRED IN THE REGION.
AN F3 TORNADO RIPPED THROUGH THE TOWN OF LYONS IN CENTRAL BERKS
COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA ON MAY 31,1998. HALF THE TOWN WAS
DESTROYED...BUT BECAUSE RESIDENTS RECEIVED AMPLE WARNING...AND
BECAUSE THEY TOOK APPROPRIATE ACTION...NO DEATHS OR SERIOUS INJURIES
OCCURRED FROM THIS EVENT. LESS THAN ONE PERCENT OF TORNADOES IN
EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA AND NEW JERSEY REACH AN INTENSITY OF F4 OR
HIGHER. THE ONLY F5 TORNADO IN RECORDED PENNSYLVANIA HISTORY OCCURRED
ON MAY 31, 1985. NO F5 TORNADOES HAVE EVER BEEN RECORDED IN NEW
JERSEY HISTORY.

THE MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE OF TORNADOES IN THE REGION HAPPENED ON
JULY 27, 2004 AS AN F1 TORNADO MOVED THROUGH WOODLAND TOWNSHIP IN
BURLINGTON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY. THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO WAS 2.6 MILES
LONG AND 100 YARDS WIDE. TWO PEOPLE WERE INJURED AT THE NEW LISBON
DEVELOPMENT CENTER, WHERE 500,000 DOLLARS IN DAMAGE WAS ALSO
REPORTED.

ANOTHER WEAKER TORNADO, AN F0 ON THE FUJITA SCALE, MOVED THROUGH
CHERRY HILL NEW JERSEY ON SEPTEMBER 28, 2004. THE PATH OF THIS
TORNADO WAS 2.5 MILES LONG AND 50 FEET WIDE. NO ONE WAS INJURED IN
THIS TORNADO, BUT THERE WAS SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO STORES AND
BUSINESSES IN THE AREA, AND NUMEROUS TREES AND POWER POLES WERE
FELLED FROM THE STRONG WINDS.

THE MOST RECENT TORNADO FATALITY OCCURRED ON OCTOBER 27, 2003 WHEN A
WEAK F0 TORNADO MOVED THROUGH HAINESPORT, BURLINGTON COUNTY. A WOMAN
WAS KILLED BY A FLYING TREE LIMB AS SHE WAS WALKING TOWARD HER CAR.
THIS WAS THE FIRST TORNADO DEATH IN NEW JERSEY SINCE 1941.

TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE THROUGHOUT PENNSYLVANIA AND NEW JERSEY. THE
FOLLOWING SAFETY TIPS SHOULD BE FOLLOWED IF EVER A TORNADO
APPROACHES YOUR AREA.

-WHEN AT HOME...STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS...DOORS...AND OUTSIDE WALLS.
GO TO A BASEMENT OR INTERIOR PART OF THE HOUSE ON THE LOWEST FLOOR.
COVER YOUR HEAD WITH SOMETHING STURDY FOR ADDED PROTECTION.

-IF CAUGHT OUTSIDE...LIE FLAT ON LOW GROUND AND SHIELD YOUR HEAD
WITH YOUR ARMS. WATCH OUT FOR POSSIBLE FLOODING IN LOW LYING AREAS.

-IF IN A CAR OR TRUCK...DO NOT TRY TO OUTRUN A TORNADO. LEAVE YOUR
VEHICLE AND TAKE COVER IN A STURDY BUILDING. IF NO BUILDING IS
AVAILABLE...LEAVE YOUR VEHICLE FOR LOWER GROUND AND COVER YOUR HEAD.

-MOBILE HOMES OFFER LITTLE PROTECTION. IF THREATENING WEATHER
APPROACHES...SEEK STURDIER SHELTER. IF NO SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER IS
NEARBY...LIE FLAT IN A DITCH OR ON LOW GROUND.

-WHEN IN A PUBLIC BUILDING...MOVE TO A DESIGNATED SHELTER AREA.
THESE ARE USUALLY IDENTIFIED IN SCHOOLS...HOSPITALS...AND OTHER
PUBLIC BUILDINGS. OTHERWISE...GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM OR
HALLWAY ON THE LOWEST FLOOR POSSIBLE. DO NOT TAKE SHELTER IN
GYMNASIUMS OR AUDITORIUMS. DUE TO THEIR NATURE, THE LARGE OPEN
EXPANSES OFFER LITTLE PROTECTION.

-LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS AS OFTEN
AS POSSIBLE FOR UPDATED STORM INFORMATION.

REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR
TORNADOES TO DEVELOP. YOU SHOULD CONTINUE YOUR DAILY ROUTINE DURING
A TORNADO WATCH...BUT KEEP AN EYE ON THE SKY. KEEP ABREAST OF
CURRENT WEATHER INFORMATION FOR YOUR AREA...AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE
QUICK ACTION IF NECESSARY.

A TORNADO WARNING MEANS THAT A TORNADO HAS BEEN SIGHTED ON THE
GROUND OR IS INDICATED BY DOPPLER RADAR. WHEN A WARNING IS
ISSUED...MOVE TO A SAFE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. ALSO REMEMBER THAT
TORNADOES OCCASIONALLY DEVELOP IN AREAS WHERE NO SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WATCH OR WARNING IS IN EFFECT.