NOAA's National Weather Service HeadlinesLatest weather and climate headlines from NOAA's National Weather ServiceNOAA, EPA LAUNCH AIR QUALITY AWARENESS DAYS- (Found June 19, 2008 ) With summer vacations in full swing, the NOAA National Weather Service and the Environmental Protection Agency are launching Air Quality Awareness Days, June 29-July 1, to encourage Americans to check local air quality forecasts as they plan their daily activities. Recent forecast improvements by NOAA and EPA are making air quality forecasts more available to more people than ever before.http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2005/s2466.htm NOAA Highlights The Dangers Of Deadly Rip Currents- (Found June 19, 2008 ) With millions of people converging on beaches this time of year, NOAA's National Weather Service is educating the public on a deadly water hazard during its inaugural Rip Current Awareness Week, June 5-11, 2005. Rip currents are channels of fast-moving water that can pull even seasoned swimmers away from shore. Panic and exhaustion can cause victims to drown. Rip currents kill an GMTimated 100 people each year.http://www.nws.noaa.gov/pa/fstories/2005/0605/fs2jun2005b.php NOAA's 2005 Hurricane Season Outlook- (Found June 19, 2008 ) NOAA hurricane forecasters are predicting another above-normal hurricane season on the heels of last year's destructive and historic hurricane season. NOAA's prediction for the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season is for 12 to 15 tropical storms, with seven to nine becoming hurricanes, of which three to five could become major hurricanes.http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2005/s2438.htm Rip currents kill more people than tornados, hurricanes, and lightning.- (Found June 19, 2008 ) To heighten public awareness of these dangerous currents, NOAA National Weather Service has designated the first full week of June as national Rip Current Awareness Week. Watch for the Mark Trail Rip Current strip Sunday, June 5th in newspapers nationwide.http://www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov NOAA-N satellite reaches orbit, starts new era of international cooperation- (Found June 19, 2008 ) NOAA and NASA officials confirmed that a new NOAA polar-orbiting environmental satellite, launched early Friday morning, has reached orbit. The NOAA-N satellite...now designated NOAA-18...is critical in the development of a global Earth observation program and improving NOAA's weather and climate forecasts and U.S. search and rescue operations.http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2005/s2442.htm NOAA's National Weather Service Hosts Severe Weather and Wildfire Awareness Week In Pacific Northwest- (Found June 19, 2008 ) NOAA's National Weather Service Forecast Offices in the Pacific Northwest will host the first region-wide Severe Weather and Wildfire Awareness Week from May 9-15, 2005. The effort is to raise public attention to the dangers of severe weather and wildfires in the Pacific Northwest and provide information to help protect life and property.http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2005/s2433.htm NOAA Hurricane Preparedness Campaign Goes Airborne For East Coast- (Found June 19, 2008 ) With the start of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season just a few weeks away, forecasters from the NOAA National Hurricane Center will join the aircrew from the NOAA Aircraft Operations Center on a "hurricane hunter" aircraft May 2-6 for a five-city, five-day mission to increase hurricane awareness and encourage preparedness in vulnerable coastal and inland communities of the East Coast.http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2005/s2430.htm SKYWARN Severe Weather Spotter Program- (Found June 19, 2008 ) This volunteer program - with more than 230,000 trained spotters - helps keep communities safe by providing timely and accurate reports to NOAA's National Weather Service. Training is conducted by each local Weather Forecast Office.http://www.nws.noaa.gov/skywarn/ "Super" Or Not, Volcanic Ash Is A Serious Threat to Aviation- (Found June 19, 2008 ) "Supervolcano"...a television movie airing on the Discovery Channel...explores the global impacts of an extreme volcanic eruption occurring in Yellowstone National Park. While actual volcanic events typically occur on a much smaller scale, airborne ash is no less of a serious threat to aviation. One mission of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is to support safe aviation through the detection and forecast of ash plumes.http://www.weather.gov/pa/fstories/2005/0405/fs8abr2005a.php ...U.S. Department of Agriculture offers tips to keep food safe during a weather emergency...- June 14, 2008 Did you know that a flood, fire, national disaster, or the loss of power from severe weather could jeopardize the safety of your food Knowing how to determine if food is safe and how to keep food safe will help minimize the potential loss of food and reduce the risk of foodborne illness. Thie USDA Consumer's Guide will help you make the right decisions for keeping your family safe during an emergencyhttp://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Emergency_Preparedness_Fact_Sheets/index.asp |