Learn to Prepare for Severe Weather, Iowa Statewide Tornado Drill on Wednesday

Iowa Department of Transportation workers help with tree debris removal as grain bins from the Archer Daniels Midland facility are seen severely damaged in Keystone, Iowa, on Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2020. Damage estimates from a rare wind storm that slammed Iowa and some other parts of the Midwest in August are growing, with the total now at $7.5 billion, according to a new report. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette via AP)

DES MOINES, IA (Radio Iowa) Hundreds of Iowans were impacted by a series of deadly tornadoes earlier this month, but many thousands of others could likely use a refresher course on what to do when severe weather strikes. Meteorologist Chad Hahn, at the National Weather Service, says today (Monday) marks the start of Severe Weather Awareness Week.

Hahn says, “We want folks to begin to think about severe weather safety plans, where their safe place is in their house and think through that and also practice that on the tornado drill date.” The statewide tornado drill is scheduled for Wednesday morning and officials are hoping people will treat it like the real thing and practice at their homes, workplaces or schools.

“It’ll be at 10 AM. Different from previous years, we will not send out an official tornado warning product associated with this,” Hahn says. “We will activate the drill through a variety of other means, including social media, on NOAA weather radio.” Each day this week, the weather service will be focusing on different types of severe weather, with a wealth of information on its website. Today’s focus is on a particular weather event we see frequently in Iowa.

“We highlight severe thunderstorms and we talk about the differences between a watch and a warning,” Hahn says, “and what criteria would require a severe thunderstorm warning, which in our case is one-inch or larger in diameter hail and-or wind gusts in excess of 58 miles per hour.” Other segments this week will include the extreme dangers of flash flooding, and how to prepare with your family for severe weather. Find more information at www.weather.gov/dmx