...NEXT WEEK...FEBRUARY 27 THROUGH MARCH 5...IS ILLINOIS SEVERE
WEATHER PREPAREDNESS WEEK...

SEVERE WEATHER IN THE FORM OF TORNADOES...DEADLY LIGHTNING...FLASH
FLOODS...DAMAGING WINDS...AND DESTRUCTIVE HAIL STRIKE ILLINOIS EACH
SPRING...SUMMER AND FALL...SOMETIMES WITH INCREDIBLE VIOLENCE.

LAST YEAR ILLINOIS HAD 46 TORNADOES...WHICH IS CLOSE TO THE 30 YEAR
AVERAGE OF 44. ILLINOIS RANKS FIFTH IN THE NATION IN FREQUENCY OF
TORNADOES PER SQUARE MILE. THERE WAS ONE FATALITY AND 40 INJURIES
FROM TORNADOES IN 2010. THERE WERE TWO FLOOD RELATED DEATHS...ONE
DEATH AS A RESULT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS...AND ONE
LIGHTNING FATALITY IN ILLINOIS LAST YEAR.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILL BRING YOU A SERIES OF
INFORMATIONAL MESSAGES NEXT WEEK...TO BETTER PREPARE YOU FOR THE
SEVERE WEATHER HAZARDS THAT MAY THREATEN YOUR SAFETY.

WE URGE YOU TO DEVELOP A SAFETY PLAN FOR USE AT YOUR HOME...
WORKPLACE...SCHOOL...VEHICLE...AND FOR OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES. BE AWARE
OF SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY RULES. PLANNING AHEAD AND KNOWING WHAT
TO DO MIGHT SAVE YOUR LIFE.

MORE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT WEATHER.GOV/CHICAGO OR
WWW.STATE.IL.US/IEMA.