The storm began brewing in the southern Caribbean as a tropical depression, pummeled Cuba and then broke for the warm open waters of the gulf where it gained tremendous speed.

Although these storms pummel the area with heavy rains and high winds, they tend to be short-lived, clearing after about an hour.

Jerome M. Hauer, the agency's director, said the drive aimed to counter the general perception among New Yorkers that such catastrophic storms pummel only Southern locales.

Such storms usually pummel the Pacific Northwest at this time of year.

As the storm pummeled their home of 10 years, they embraced each other with eyes squeezed shut, murmuring prayers in their bathroom.

Above him the storms rampaging across the visionary ceiling flashed purple lightning and pummelled away at each other like waves assaulting a beach.

But about 90 minutes before the race, a heavy storm pummeled the area, turning the racing surface into a sea of slop.

One instant a storm of flame pummeled him; the next, utter stillness.

Heavy storms flinging wind and rain pummeled much of the New York region, leaving nearly half a million suburban homes without power yesterday.

The storm raked Flagler College, pummeled Ripley's and pounded the Alligator Farm.