Reminder: Virtual tornado drill is Thursday, April 15 at 1:45 p.m.

Reminder, the National Weather Service (NWS) will be conducting a virtual tornado drill this year on Thursday, April 15, 2021. There will not be a test tornado watch or warning that comes out of the NWS office in Wisconsin or Minnesota. So, no Emergency Alert System (EAS) message will be sent to TV/radio or alerting on NOAA Weather Radio. Also, WEA (Wireless Emergency Alerts) will not go off on cell phones.

Instead, the NWS asks everyone to take a few minutes (at 1:45 p.m. if possible), which was when the test tornado warning was supposed to go out, to practice your own tornado and severe weather safety plans with co-workers and family members.

Tornado Safety Tips:

• Evacuate to an interior room or hallway, and on the lowest level if it is safe to do so.
• Stay away from windows, glass, and large open areas.
• Protect your head and face; get under a steady surface or structure if one is available.