MADISON, Wis. – With no expected risk of severe weather in Wisconsin on April 10, the state’s annual tornado drills will proceed as planned. Everyone in the state is invited to participate by going to their designated tornado shelter at 1:45 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. or during a time when they can safely practice.
People can expect the following to occur:
- The National Weather Service will issue a routine weekly test to NOAA weather radios during the drill times, which will display a test message on those devices and will only be audible if radios are currently turned on.
- Some television and radio stations may break into coverage or display information on screen during the drill times. Many may choose to address the drills during their regular local news programming instead.
- Some communities may still choose to test their outdoor warning sirens during the drill times. However, it is expected many will instead rely on their regular testing schedules to ensure those devices are working properly. Check with municipal, tribal, or county siren operators for information on whether they plan to test sirens on April 10.
The following will not occur during the statewide tornado drills:
- The statewide drill will not include a mock tornado warning issued as a live code test of the Emergency Alert System. As a result, there will be no notification tone sounded on NOAA Weather Radios that are currently sent to silently monitor for alerts.
- There will be no wireless emergency alerts sent to your phones alerting you of the statewide tornado drill.
- There will be no push notifications sent to devices.
Whether at home, work, or school, ReadyWisconsin encourages everyone to have a plan in place and to know where to go if a tornado warning is issued:
- In a home or building, move to the lowest floor and an interior room with no windows. Put as many walls as possible between you and the storm.
- If caught outdoors, seek shelter in a sturdy building. If you cannot quickly walk to shelter, get into a vehicle, buckle your seatbelt and drive to the closest sturdy shelter.
- If driving, when there is flying debris, pull over and park. Stay in the vehicle with the seatbelt on and place your head below the windows. Never seek shelter under an overpass. They can create a wind tunnel that attracts debris during a tornado, putting you in danger.
- A mobile home, even if it is anchored, offers little protection from tornadoes. Be proactive and not reactive. Once a tornado watch is issued for your area, you should leave a mobile home and go to the nearest designated tornado shelter or a sturdy building for safety, as it will take time to travel to that location.
More information on tornado safety can be found at https://readywisconsin.wi.gov/be-informed/tornadoes/.
