- (Business Wire)
WHAT: In an effort to keep viewers and visitors prepared and safe, The Weather Channel recently kicked off Tornado Preparedness Week, both online and on-air. Preparedness features will be telecast during Evening Edition each night at 9 and 10 p.m. ET. The presentations will repeat several times the next day starting at 3 p.m.
This week of special programs is designed to warn viewers about tornados at the beginning of this five-month peak period often marked by the most dangerous storms. According to Dr. Greg Forbes, severe weather expert for The Weather Channel, 68 percent of all tornadoes occur in March through July. Tornado Season started with two unexpected but powerful storms in the Atlanta-metro area this past weekend.
The Atlanta-metro area saw two tornadoes, the first of which was the first tornado to hit downtown Atlanta since record keeping began in the 1800s, taking city residents and tourists by surprise. Friday night's tornado was 200 yards wide with strongest winds reaching 135mph. North Georgia was hit on Saturday morning by a fresh line of storms that spawned a tornado nearly a half mile wide and cutting through several counties on a 16 mile path with winds up to 150 mph.
Tornado Preparedness Week on The Weather Channel will include live reports from the field, tips on securing your home, protecting your family and creating a preparedness plan.
Additional resources online at weather.com ensure consumers know how to receive advance warnings and stay safe no matter what the weather has in store. Visit www.weather.com/ready to create a preparedness plan and read more articles on driving safety, health, home protection and more. Free e-mail and mobile text alerts for severe weather are also available at www.weather.com/alerts.
EXPERTS AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEW:
The Weather Channel severe weather experts Jim Cantore and Greg Forbes along with climate expert Dr. Heidi Cullen are available to discuss the impact of climate change and trends in severe weather, along with preparedness tips for the current tornado season.
HOW: To book an interview or schedule a telephone call, please contact:
Connie Malko, 770-226-2180
Lauren Shankman, 404-214-0722 x110
The Weather Channel
Connie Malko, 770-226-2180
or
Lauren Shankman, 404-214-0722 x110
