The state's annual tornado drill will proceed Thursday, April 15 at 1:45 p.m. and 6:45 p.m.
During that time, residents are encouraged to go to their designated tornado shelters and go over their readiness plans.
There will be no mock tornado warning alerts on NOAA Weather Radios. However, some communities may still choose to test their outdoor warning sirens during the drill times.
As part of the drill ReadyWisconsin has suggested the following plans for shelter:
- In a home or building, move to a pre-designated shelter, such as a basement, and get under a sturdy table or the stairs.
- If a basement is not available, move to a small interior room on the lowest floor and cover yourself with anything close at hand: towels, blankets, pillows. If possible, get under a sturdy table, desk, or counter. Put as many walls as possible between you and the storm. Stay away from windows.
- 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 flying debris occurs while you are driving, pull over and park. Now you have two options as a last resort:
- Stay in the vehicle with the seatbelt on and place your head below the windows.
- If you can safely get noticeably lower than the roadway, exit the vehicle and lie in that area, covering your head with your hands.
- Never seek shelter under an overpass. They can create a wind tunnel that attracts debris during a tornado, putting you in danger.
- Mobile homes, even if tied down, offer little protection from tornadoes. You should leave a mobile home and go to the designated storm shelter or the lowest floor of a sturdy nearby building.
As a reminder, this is just a test. There is no expected severe weather in Wisconsin on April 15.
