2014 Severe Weather Awareness Week in Minnesota
April 21st through the 25th is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Minnesota. More information on Severe Weather Awareness Week activities in Minnesota can be obtained from the Minnesota Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
Tornado watch/warning drills will be held on Thursday, April 24th. A schedule for the tornado watch/warning drills appears at the bottom of the page.
Each day during our Severe Weather Awareness Week, a statement will be issued by the NWS Twin Cities providing more information about severe weather safety. The list of daily topics for Severe Weather Awareness Week is:
Monday, April 21st - Weather Alerts and Warnings
Tuesday, April 22nd - Severe Storms, Lightning and Winds
Wednesday, April 23rd - Flash Floods
Thursday, April 24th - Tornado Safety Information
Friday, April 25th - Heat Waves
The National Weather Service, the Minnesota Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, and other state, county and local agencies have come together to host Severe Weather Awareness Week activities. On Thursday, April 24th, simulated tornado watches and warnings will be issued to test the statewide warning and communications systems. The schedule for April 24th is as follows:
(all times CDT)
1:00 PM: The National Weather Service will issue a simulated tornado watch for Minnesota and Wisconsin.
1:45 PM: The National Weather Service will issue a simulated tornado warning all of Wisconsin. Note that most cities and counties will activate outdoor warning siren systems.
1:45 PM: The National Weather Service will issue a simulated tornado warning for Minnesota counties. Note that most cities and counties will activate outdoor warning siren systems.
2:00 PM: The National Weather Service will issue an "End of Test" message using the Severe Weather Statement product. It should be stated that outdoor warning sirens will not be sounded again for this all clear, nor will there be any warning tone on NOAA Weather Radio.
6:55 PM: Another simulated tornado warning will be issued for Minnesota counties.
The 6:55 PM warning will be issued by the six National Weather Service offices that serve Minnesota. It will be issued as a test of family preparedness in the home and for second shift workers.
Be aware... for the Minnesota warnings, a TOR code (tornado warning) will be used to activate the broadcast on NOAA Weather Radios, though the message itself will clearly indicate that this is a "TEST" only.