514  
NOUS41 KBGM 241201  
PNSBGM  
NYZ009-015>018-022>025-036-037-044>046-055>057-062-250400-  
 
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON, NY  
800 AM EDT WED APR 24 2024  
   
..THIS WEEK IS SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN NEW YORK
 
 
TODAY WE DISCUSS SEVERE WEATHER PREPAREDNESS AND SAFETY.  
ALL THUNDERSTORMS, WHETHER THEY ARE SEVERE OR NOT, ARE  
DANGEROUS DUE TO LIGHTNING. WHEN ONE APPROACHES, YOU NEED TO  
PROTECT YOURSELF. WHEN THUNDER ROARS GO INDOORS! WHEN YOU SEE  
A FLASH, DASH INSIDE!  
 
BEFORE A STORM, DEVELOP A SAFETY PLAN SO THAT YOU CAN PROTECT  
YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY FOR MANY DIFFERENT SCENARIOS.  
YOU NEED TO HAVE A SAFETY PLAN FOR THE HOME, WHEN AT SCHOOL,  
AT WORK AND ESPECIALLY WHEN OUTDOORS. BEING CAUGHT OUTDOORS  
DURING A THUNDERSTORM WITHOUT A PLAN CAN TURN DEADLY. IDENTIFY  
A SAFE PLACE TO TAKE SHELTER AND KNOW WHAT ACTIONS ARE NEEDED  
WHEN A WARNING IS ISSUED. THE BEST WAY TO DO THIS IS TO CONDUCT  
DRILLS.  
 
LIGHTNING IS A THUNDERSTORM'S BIGGEST KILLER. DO NOT USE  
ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES OR A COMPUTER WHILE A THUNDERSTORM IS  
NEARBY.  
 
IF YOU ARE OUTDOORS, SEEK SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING WITH  
PLUMBING OR ELECTRICITY. PICNIC SHELTERS, DUGOUTS, SMALL  
BUILDINGS ARE NOT SAFE! KEEP OUT OF OPEN AREAS SUCH AS PAVILIONS  
OR GAZEBOS. STAY AWAY FROM TALL OBJECTS SUCH AS ISOLATED TREES  
AND METAL OBJECTS SUCH AS TOWERS SUPPORTING POWER LINES. ALSO,  
STAY AWAY FROM WIRE FENCES, CLOTHES LINES, METAL PIPES, AND RAILS.  
IF IN AN AUTOMOBILE, DO NOT TOUCH METAL PARTS OR THE EXTERIOR. IF  
IN A SCHOOL BUS, CLOSE ALL WINDOWS AND MOVE TO THE CENTER PORTION  
BUS, HAVE ALL STUDENTS CROSS THEIR FEET AND PLACE THEIR HANDS IN  
THEIR LAP. THE DRIVER SHOULD NOT TOUCH ANY METAL IN THE BUS.  
 
LIGHTNING MAY BE ABOUT TO STRIKE IF YOU ARE OUT IN THE OPEN AND  
FEEL YOUR HAIR STAND ON END OR YOUR SKIN START TO TINGLE. RUN TO  
SEEK PROPER SHELTER. THERE IS NO SAFE PLACE OUTSIDE ONCE A  
LIGHTNING CHANNEL APPROACHES FROM DIRECTLY OVERHEAD (OR VERY  
NEARLY SO). YOU ARE LIKELY TO BE STRUCK AND EITHER KILLED OR  
INJURED BY THE LIGHTNING STRIKE.  
 
DURING A THUNDERSTORM, STAY OUT OF THE WATER. IF YOU ARE BOATING,  
HEAD TO SHORE AT THE FIRST SIGN OF THREATENING WEATHER. IN  
ADDITION TO THE DANGER OF LIGHTNING, GUSTY THUNDERSTORM WINDS CAN  
EASILY CAPSIZE SMALL BOATS.  
 
STAY AWAY FROM PLACES THAT COMMONLY FLOOD DURING A THUNDERSTORMS.  
FLASH FLOODS CAUSED BY HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE ANOTHER DANGER.  
LOW LYING AREAS, ESPECIALLY NEAR STREAMS AND CREEKS, CAN FLOOD  
RAPIDLY. NEVER DRIVE YOUR CAR INTO A FLOODED AREA.  
 
REMEMBER, THUNDERSTORMS OCCASIONALLY PRODUCE TORNADOES. SOMETIMES  
THUNDERSTORM WINDS ARE STRONG ENOUGH TO PRODUCE EF-0 AND EF-1  
TORNADO LIKE DAMAGE. ALWAYS BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO A SAFE SHELTER  
WHEN A THUNDERSTORM IS NEAR.  
 
WEATHER TOPICS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK WILL BE AS FOLLOWS:  
 
THURSDAY...TORNADOES.  
FRIDAY...FLOODING.  
SATURDAY...WEATHER READY NATION.  
 
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON WEATHER HAZARDS AND SEVERE WEATHER  
AWARENESS WEEK, PLEASE VISIT:  
 
HTTPS://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/BGM/SWAWNY  
 

 
 
MITCHELL GAINES  
METEOROLOGIST  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON, NY  
 
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