INFORMATIONAL MESSAGE FROM ALERT CAROLINA: Possibility of severe weather on Wednesday, Feb. 24

Dear students, faculty and staff:

The National Weather Service has predicted severe weather for the central region of North Carolina for tomorrow, Wednesday, Feb. 24, primarily between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Conditions will be favorable for strong thunderstorm activity, possibly producing high straight-line winds and dangerously large hail in some areas capable of causing significant damage. There is also the possibility that the system may create tornadic activity in some areas.

The weather service advises people in our area to be on the lookout for threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible warnings. Remain alert for approaching storms.

The weather service updates this information regularly on the National Weather Service website that lists the current status of watches, warnings or advisories for Orange County at http://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwaatmget.php?x=NCC135.

Please consult local weather sources for updates. For a list of services that you can use to subscribe to weather alert, you can visit http://www.weather.gov/subscribe

The University will send additional text, email or other notifications to the campus community in the event of a severe thunderstorm warning impacting our immediate area. If a new weather pattern enters the area that prompts a news alert after a 24-hour period, the University will reissue the notice as part of our ongoing monitoring efforts for potential serious weather conditions.

If the weather service issues a tornado watch for Orange County, the University will issue a separate notification. If the weather service issues a tornado warning for Chapel Hill and Carrboro, the University will activate the emergency sirens. A tornado warning means that a tornado has been spotted or that radar indicates a thunderstorm circulation that can create a tornado, according to the National Weather Service. The University will activate the sirens for a significant emergency or immediate health or safety threat, send a text message to registered cell phones, and start other notifications including campus email.

ABOUT THIS EMAIL:  Campus-wide email is not an instant source of information as part of the University’s Alert Carolina System notification process. The University’s Alert Carolina System is activated using a strategy based on redundancy and use of multiple communication methods and channels. For the most up-to-date information, please visit the Alert Carolina website at https://alertcarolina.unc.edu//.