Hurricane Preparedness Week 2008: Monday May 26, 2008

From the NWS Charleston website:

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
500 AM EDT MON MAY 26 2008

...HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS WEEK RUNS FROM MAY 25 THROUGH MAY 31...

NATIONAL HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS WEEK BEGAN YESTERDAY AND RUNS THROUGH THROUGH SATURDAY. PARTNERS SUCH AS THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE... EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT... AMERICAN RED CROSS AND PROJECT IMPACT ALL AGREE THAT PREPAREDNESS IS THE KEY TO MINIMIZING PROPERTY DAMAGE AND PREVENTING LOSS OF LIFE. THIS ANNUAL EVENT GIVES PERSONS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EDUCATE THEMSELVES AND REVIEW THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF WEATHER HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH HURRICANES AND OTHER TROPICAL SYSTEMS. THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON WILL TRANSMIT AWARENESS INFORMATION AND PREPAREDNESS TIPS EACH DAY THROUGH FRIDAY TO HELP IN THIS EFFORT.

THE OFFICIAL ATLANTIC HURRICANE SEASON BEGINS ON JUNE 1 AND CONTINUES THROUGH NOVEMBER 30. HOWEVER...TROPICAL SYSTEMS CAN OCCUR AT ANY TIME. THUS...IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT ALL PERSONS BECOME FAMILIAR WITH HURRICANE SAFETY PROCEDURES AND FORMULATE A SAFETY PLAN OF THEIR OWN.

THE IMPACTS OF HURRICANES AND OTHER TROPICAL SYSTEMS ARE NOT ONLY FELT AT THE COAST BUT POSSIBLY HUNDREDS OF MILES INLAND AS WELL. EVEN THE REMNANTS OF TROPICAL SYSTEMS CAN PRODUCE SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. FOR EXAMPLE...THE REMNANTS OF TROPICAL STORM ALLISON IN 2001 PRODUCED SIGNIFICANT FLOODING IN HOUSTON TEXAS AND THE REMNANTS OF HURRICANES FRANCES AND JEANNE PRODUCED TORNADO OUTBREAKS ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST AND SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS.

YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TO DESIGN A HURRICANE SAFETY PLAN LONG BEFORE A HURRICANE ACTUALLY THREATENS. WE WILL DISCUSS SUCH PLANS AS WELL AS THE VARIOUS HURRICANE HAZARDS BEGINNING ON TUESDAY.