000 NOUS44 KLZK 152001 PNSLZK ARZ003>007-012>016-021>025-030>034-037>047-052>057-062>069-160400- PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 200 PM CST WED FEB 15 2006 ...SEVERE WEATHER IN ARKANSAS DURING 2005... THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 20TH THROUGH 24TH IS SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN ARKANSAS. SPONSORS OF SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK ARE... NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ARKANSAS STATE POLICE ARKANSAS NATIONAL GUARD ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ARKANSAS INSURANCE DEPARTMENT UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS ARKANSAS NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION ARKANSAS FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION AMERICAN RED CROSS SALVATION ARMY ENTERGY ARKANSAS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES OF ARKANSAS UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS PROVIDED FOR USE DURING THE WEEK. HERE IS A REVIEW OF THE MORE SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER EVENTS THAT OCCURRED IN ARKANSAS IN 2005. ALL OF THESE EVENTS WERE CAUSED BY THUNDERSTORMS. - THUNDERSTORM /STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS/ - NO FATALITIES WERE CAUSED BY THUNDERSTORM WINDS IN 2005...BUT THERE WERE TWO INJURIES. THE INJURIES OCCURRED AT CENTERTON /BENTON CO./ AND TEXARKANA /MILLER CO./. SOME OF THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM WINDS REPORTED DURING 2005 INCLUDED... 98 MPH - AT KERR /LONOKE CO./. 86 MPH - AT POCAHONTAS /RANDOLPH CO./. 81 MPH - FROM CENTERTON TO BENTONVILLE /BENTON CO./...HOLIDAY ISLAND /CARROLL CO./...BARLING /SEBASTIAN CO./...A SECOND TIME AT CENTERTON /BENTON CO./...AND 2 MILES SOUTHEAST OF OZARK /FRANKLIN CO./. 79 MPH - AT FORT SMITH /SEBASTIAN CO./. 75 MPH - NEAR EROS /MARION CO./...AT CROSSETT /ASHLEY CO./... AND AT RECTOR /CLAY CO./. WINDS SUCH AS THESE OCCUR EVERY YEAR DUE TO THUNDERSTORMS IN ARKANSAS...AND DAMAGE ASSOCIATED WITH SUCH WINDS IS OFTEN MISTAKEN FOR TORNADO DAMAGE. IF ANY OF THE WINDS NOTED ABOVE HAD OCCURRED WITH A TORNADO... THE INTENSITY CLASSIFICATION WOULD HAVE BEEN F1. SO... THUNDERSTORM WINDS OF SUCH MAGNITUDE CAN BE EXPECTED TO PRODUCE DAMAGE JUST AS SEVERE AS AN F1 TORNADO. - HAIL - NO DEATHS OR INJURIES DUE TO HAIL WERE REPORTED IN 2005. THE LARGEST HAILSTONES REPORTED DURING THE YEAR INCLUDED... 2 1/2 INCHES IN DIAMETER AT HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE /GARLAND CO./. 2 INCHES IN DIAMETER /LIME SIZE/ - AT BLYTHEVILLE /MISSISSIPPI CO./ AND JESSIEVILLE /GARLAND CO./. - FLASH FLOODS - THERE WAS ONE DEATH DUE TO FLASH FLOODING IN 2005. AN ELDERLY WOMAN LOST HER LIFE AT RUSH /MARION CO./ WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO CROSS RUSH CREEK ON FOOT DURING A FLASH FLOOD. THIS WAS THE FIRST FLASH FLOOD FATALITY OF 2005 IN THE NATION. - LIGHTNING - THERE WERE NO DEATHS BUT ONE INJURTY DUE TO LIGHTNING IN 2005. THE INJURY OCCURRED AT FORT SMITH /SEBASTIAN CO./. A RECAP OF TORNADOES IN 2005 WILL BE TRANSMITTED TOMORROW. $$ THE ANNUAL SEVERE WEATHER BROCHURE PRODUCED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LITTLE ROCK IS ON THE INTERNET AT WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/LZK/HTML/SVR.HTM 28