Severe Weather Awareness Week - April 11-17, 2010

Severe Weather Awareness Week

For Colorado

4-11-10 to 4-17-10

Colorado Governor Bill Ritter has proclaimed April 11 through 17, 2010

SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN COLORADO
Click here to see the Proclamation

...THUNDERSTORM HAZARDS ARE JUST AROUND THE CORNER...

Severe thunderstorm season will be soon upon us. It is important to know how to stay safe around tornadoes...flash floods...lightning...hail...and damaging winds. This is the week to learn. This week...April 11th through the 17th is Colorado Severe Weather Awareness Week. This is the time to learn more about severe weather in Colorado...develop severe weather preparedness plans...and test vital communications.

Each year for the past 20 years there have been an average of 50 tornadoes in Colorado...3 people killed by lightning...and another 15 injured by lightning.

The National Weather Service offices which cover Colorado will issue a series of public information statements during the week covering the following topics...

...on Sunday............Introduction
...on Monday……...Watches and Warnings
...on Tuesday……..Flood and Flash Flood Safety
...on Wednesday...Tornadoes and Tornado Safety
...on Thursday…....Downburst Wind and Hail
...on Friday………...Lightning and Lightning Safety
...on Saturday…......Severe Weather Awareness Week in Review

A time to test your warning reception and communications systems is planned. National Weather Service offices serving Colorado will send test tornado warnings on Wednesday April 14 between the hours of 9 am MDT and 11 am MDT. These test warnings will be sent to the Emergency Alert System...the internet...NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards...and law enforcement communications systems.

Safety information...watches...warnings...forecasts...past weather and much more information is available at your local National Weather Service web sites...

WWW.WEATHER.GOV/BOU      NWS DENVER
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/PUB      NWS PUEBLO
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/GLD   NWS GOODLAND
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/GJT       NWS GRAND JUNCTION

Colorado Governor Bill Ritter has proclaimed April 11 through 17, 2010

SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN COLORADO

On Wednesday morning, April 14^th, test warnings will be transmitted between 9am and 11am by NOAA National Weather Service offices serving Colorado. A test tornado warning will be issued by each area office of the National Weather Service including Boulder, Pueblo, Grand Junction and Goodland, Kansas.

This will be an excellent time for businesses, schools, hospitals, members of the media and emergency management agencies to participate in the drill and test their communications plans and procedures. During the test times, or anytime during the week, everyone should exercise their emergency response procedures, such as tornado drills in schools and businesses. This will test the readiness of all in dealing with the dangers of severe weather.

In 2009, 44 tornados were reported to officials across the state, with near 700 reports of hail, severe wind and flash floods. In 2008 a large and damaging tornado raced through Weld County and the town of Windsor. For thunderstorm hazards including tornadoes, flash floods, large hail and damaging winds, the National Weather Service offices will post warning information on their websites and alarm NOAA Weather All Hazards Radio with new warnings.

There are over two dozen NOAA Weather Radio transmitters broadcasting weather forecast and warning information in Colorado. In addition, warnings will be transmitted from Weather Radio via the Emergency Alert System to commercial radio, television and cable television.

The National Weather Service has a website with a map showing all watches, warnings and advisories in the United States at http://www.weather.gov One click on the map will take you to a local National Weather Service website, where warnings and local forecasts are available. Public information statements issued during Severe Weather Awareness Week will also be posted.

To learn more about Colorado thunderstorms, tornadoes, watches and warnings, attend a National Weather Service Skywarn spotter training. The schedules for the training are located on the National Weather Service websites at:

for northeast Colorado,

for southeast Colorado, and

for western Colorado.

National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office