North Carolina’s Statewide Tornado Drill is scheduled for Wednesday, March 9 at 9:30 a.m.
- The drill will be broadcast on NOAA Weather Radio and the Emergency Alert System via the Required Monthly Test (RMT). There will not be an actual tornado warning issued.
- There will be no follow-up statements issued by the NWS to mark the end of the statewide tornado drill. It will simply be over when you feel that you have adequately practiced your tornado shelter procedures.
- If there is actual severe weather occurring on the morning of March 9, 2022, the statewide tornado drill will be postponed.
Topics
- Sunday: Receiving Severe Weather Alerts
- Monday: Understanding Weather Warning Terms
- Tuesday: Thunderstorms and Lightning
- Wednesday: Tornado Drill and Preparedness
- Thursday: Flooding
- Friday: Heat
- Saturday: Make a Plan
Preparing for a Tornado
- Know your area’s tornado risk. In the U.S., the Midwest and the Southeast have a greater risk for tornadoes.
- Know the signs of a tornado, including a rotating, funnel-shaped cloud, an approaching cloud of debris, or a loud roar like a freight train.
- Sign up for your community’s warning system. The Emergency Alert System (EAS) and NOAA Weather Radio also provide emergency alerts. If your community has sirens, then become familiar with the warning tone.
- Pay attention to weather reports. Meteorologists can predict when conditions might be right for a tornado.
- Identify and practice going to a safe shelter such as a safe room built using FEMA criteria or a storm shelter built to ICC 500 standards. The next best protection is a small, interior, windowless room or basement on the lowest level of a sturdy building.
- Plan for your pet. They are an important member of your family, so they need to be included in your family’s emergency plan.
- Prepare for long-term stay at home or sheltering in place by gathering emergency supplies, cleaning supplies, non-perishable foods, water, medical supplies and medication.
Source: Ready.gov