Expect sirens today for Severe Weather Awareness Week

Thursday is Tornado Drill Day for the state of Minnesota as part of Severe Weather Awareness Week and the City of Duluth is encouraging residents to discuss being prepared for severe weather. Wisconsin will also be participating in the tornado drills today.

Community members can expect to hear extra practice sirens at 1:45 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. The National Weather Service partners with local governments so the public can be prepared when there is severe weather. The 6:45 p.m. tornado drill has been canceled in Wisconsin. It will not be rescheduled.

Usually, the statewide drill occurs on Thursday afternoon at 1:45 p.m. when communities sound their outdoor sirens. Schools and businesses can practice their tornado drill plans. According to the National Weather Service, the second drill will be at 6:45 p.m.

Tornadoes occur most often between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. and organizers say the second siren will allow families and second-shift workers to go over their severe weather plans and practice sheltering in place.

For decades, the state of Minnesota has conducted Severe Weather Awareness Week. Severe Weather Awareness Week is April 8 through April 12.

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety division of Homeland Securityand Emergency Management (DPS-HSEM) encourages counties to participate and sound their outdoor warning sirens.

For more information about tornado drills, download the tornado drill fact sheet: https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/hsem/weather-awareness-preparedness/Documents/2024-tornado-drill-day.pdf