[Press Release] : Severe thunderstorms dangers; tips from the Office of Emergency Management

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact: Scott Smith, Public Information, or Zim Schwartze, Interim OEM
Director - (573) 874-7400

Severe thunderstorms dangers; tips from the Office of Emergency
Management

COLUMBIA, MO (June 30, 2009) - The National Weather Service defines a
severe thunderstorm as a storm which contains one-inch hail or larger,
damaging straight-line winds of 58 mph or greater and/or a tornado.
Severe thunderstorms can produce straight downburst winds in excess of
100 mph. A downburst is a strong outrush of wind formed by rain-cooled
air. Strong downbursts can produce extensive damage and are often
mistaken for tornadoes. A downburst can easily overturn a mobile home,
tear roofs off houses and topple trees. 

The Office of Emergency Management keeps continually updated on severe
weather potential for the area, implementing its Storm Spotter
Activation System when severe weather threatens. Trained spotters will
be sent to areas where storms are having an impact, giving advance
warning to residents of Columbia and Boone County. 

The Columbia/Boone County Office of Emergency Management has a number
of publications available addressing a variety of storm-related topics,
including what to do before and after a disaster. Those pamphlets are
offered free of charge at the OEM office on Seventh Street in Columbia,
and can also be accessed online at www.GoColumbiaMo.com/EM.

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