The week of May 3-9 is Severe Weather Awareness Week in the Pacific Northwest, including the states of Idaho, Oregon and Washington.
This is an excellent time for all individuals, families, businesses, schools, radio and television stations to review their spring and summer storm preparedness plans. It is especially important for new arrivals to the Pacific Northwest to become familiar with NOAA’s National Weather Service Watch and Warning definitions, and their safety procedures.
Spring in the Pacific Northwest can bring snow one day, then thunderstorms the next. The chance of severe thunderstorms will be increasing through the next several weeks. Are you prepared for severe thunderstorms that produce large hail, tornadoes, flash flooding, mudslides and even lightning caused wildfires? Are you ready for storms along the coast? This is the time to learn more about severe weather, develop severe weather preparedness plans, and test vital communications.
To help our communities learn more about these dangers, NOAA’s National Weather Service will issue Public Information Statements throughout the week to discuss:
MONDAY – Flood and flash flood safety
TUESDAY – Tornadoes and tornado safety, or Special Marine Warnings
WEDNESDAY – Wind, Hail, and Lightning safety
THURSDAY – Wildfires
FRIDAY – NWS Watch and Warning program
SATURDAY – NOAA Weather Radio
Remember, in times of severe weather, you can get all these vital NOAA/National Weather Service messages via NOAA Weather Radio, your favorite local media, or through NOAA’s National Weather Service websites.
This message is brought to you by your local NOAA National Weather Service office in Portland.