May 8th, Tues - 10:00 am LEPC Exercise Design & Planning Committee / Emergency Mgt conference room, 320 Connelly

A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 7 PM MDT THIS EVENING.

* AREA AND TIMING…THE EASTERN PLAINS THIS AFTERNOON. CRITICAL CONDITIONS WILL BE MOST WIDESPREAD BETWEEN 3 PM AND 6 PM.

* 20 FOOT WINDS…WEST-SOUTHWEST 15 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS BETWEEN 35 AND 45 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY…MINIMUM VALUES BETWEEN 3 AND 10 PERCENT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS OR FIRE CREWS IN THE FIELD OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ALBUQUERQUE HAS ISSUED A FIRE WEATHER WATCH…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING. A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 7 PM MDT THIS EVENING.

* AREA AND TIMING…THE EASTERN PLAINS THIS AFTERNOON TO EARLY EVENING. FOR TODAY…THE MOST WIDESPREAD CRITICAL CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED FROM 3 TO 6 PM BETWEEN LAS VEGAS…TUCUMCARI AND CLINES CORNERS. MORE WIDESPREAD CRITICAL CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE PLAINS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.

* 20 FOOT WINDS…WEST-SOUTHWEST 15 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS BETWEEN 35 AND 40 MPH. SLIGHTLY STRONGER WINDS ARE EXPECTED WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY…MINIMUM VALUES RANGING BETWEEN 5 TO 11 PERCENT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS OR FIRE CREWS IN THE FIELD OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.

PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS OR FIRE CREWS IN THE FIELD OF THIS FIRE WEATHER WATCH.

Many of us have people who we admire and respect in our lives. We may consider them our role models or think of them as having behavior or principles that we would like to attain.
Everyone can be a role model when it comes to severe weather safety. Learn about severe weather, gather information, and know what to do when severe weather strikes. Having the confidence that comes from knowledge can keep you and your home safe. It also makes you a Force of Nature against the natural disasters that come from the forces of severe weather.
This week, we’ve highlighted several examples of such people – Stephanie Decker in Indiana, Lisa Rebstock in Texas and Wilma Nelson in Oklahoma. We know that there are many more. In fact, we know that each and every person across the country has the potential to be a force of nature in their communities.
Being a force of nature goes beyond taking appropriate preparedness action. It’s about inspiring others to do the same. When you go to shelter after a warning, text, tweet or update your status so your friends and family know. You might just save their lives, too. Check out this video to see how you can be a force of nature in the face of severe weather.
Social media can be an effective tool for severe weather preparedness. A 2011 survey conducted by the American Red Cross, theCongressional Management Foundation and other organizations found that almost half the respondents said they would use social media in the event of a disaster to let relatives and friends know they were safe. A news release from the Red Cross highlights the survey results.
This is an important trend because research shows that people are most likely to take preparedness steps if they observe the preparations taken by others. Social media provides the perfect platform to model preparedness actions for others.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ALBUQUERQUE HAS ISSUED A WIND ADVISORY…WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING.

* LOCATION…THE CENTRAL TO NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS…AND PORTIONS OF THE EAST CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS OF NEW MEXICO.

* WINDS…SUSTAINED FROM THE WEST AT 25 TO 35 MPH WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS TO 50 MPH.

* TIMING…WINDS WILL REMAIN STRONG…PEAKING BETWEEN THE LATE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO DIMINISH AFTER SUNSET THIS EVENING.

* VISIBILITY…VISIBILITIES WILL BE REDUCED TO LESS THAN THREE MILES AT TIMES IN AREAS PRONE TO BLOWING DUST.

* LOCAL IMPACTS…STRONG CROSS WINDS WILL IMPACT TRAVEL ALONG NORTH TO SOUTH ROADS. AREAS OF BLOWING DUST WILL CREATE SUDDEN CHANGES IN VISIBILITIES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

MOTORISTS SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION WHILE TRAVELLING. SUDDEN GUSTS OF WIND MAY CAUSE YOU TO LOSE CONTROL OF YOUR VEHICLE. EXTRA ATTENTION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO CROSS WINDS.

RED FLAG WARNING -
NEW MEXICO FIRE WEATHER ZONE 108
EAST CENTRAL PLAINS/WESTERN KIOWA GRASSLANDS BLM/ABZ-SNZ-

THE RED FLAG WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING.

* AREA AND TIMING…THE EAST CENTRAL PLAINS THIS AFTERNOON AND
EARLY THIS EVENING.

* 20 FOOT WINDS…WEST 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH THIS AFTERNOON BEFORE DIMINISHING EARLY IN THE EVENING.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY…RANGING FROM 10 TO 15 PERCENT THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS OR FIRE CREWS IN THE FIELD OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.

87-year-old Wilma Nelson of Woodward, Okla., recently experienced the power of a NOAA Weather Radio when a devastating tornado struck her town of 12,000.

“I thought, ‘I’d better get out of here,’” she told CBS News, saying that when her NOAA Weather Radio woke her up, she moved quickly into a closet that she had “all prepared” in advance. Nelson’s granddaughter-in-law, Janelle Semmel, said that the advance outlooks and warnings issued by the National Weather Service saved lives. “We took it very seriously, because of the buildup that they had been talking about all week of the chances of storms that we had here,” she said.

If you live in an area that experiences tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires, or other severe weather, strongly consider buying a weather radio. It doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive, but the one chosen should be able to give you all the information you need in the way you need it. Your local Weather Forecast Office can provide assistance programming your radio.

NOAA Weather Radios also can be made accessible to people who are hearing impaired. In some situations, it can be connected to an existing alerting system in a deaf or hard of hearing person’s home. For example, if a deaf person has a flashing light alert system connected to a doorbell or other sensor, the radio may also have the capability to be connected to that system. The same may be true with pillows that vibrate or beds that shake. Some come with an LCD display, warning lights, or simple texts that make alerts visible to deaf or hard of hearing people.

Soon the wireless cell phone industry will provide free emergency alerts to mobile devices. Wireless Emergency Alerts messages are text-like alerts that will better equip the public with emergency information including NWS watches and warnings.

When the National Weather Service issues a warning, numerous alert systems are triggered, including NOAA Weather Radio, media outlets, internet and wireless-based services and sirens, which are owned and operated by local officials. It’s best to use multiple sources to find out about severe weather. If you’re in the know, you can be a force of nature poised to take life-saving action.

A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING. A FIRE WEATHER WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FRIDAY AFTERNOON.

* AREA AND TIMING…EAST CENTRAL PLAINS LATE THIS MORNING THROUGH THIS EVENING. POTENTIAL FOR CRITICAL CONDITIONS AGAIN FRIDAY AFTERNOON.

* 20 FOOT WINDS…SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 45 OR 50 MPH BY LATE AFTERNOON. WEST 20 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 35 MPH FRIDAY AFTERNOON.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY…MINIMUMS 7 TO 12 PERCENT THIS AFTERNOON AND 8 TO 13 PERCENT FRIDAY AFTERNOON.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS OR FIRE CREWS IN THE FIELD OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.

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