As part of Severe Weather Awareness Week, the National Weather Service will hold its annual statewide tornado drill on Wednesday morning, March 28. The purpose of this drill is to ensure that Iowans can adequately receive a tornado warning and can practice any actions that would be taken in the event of a real tornado.
Test Timeline
The National Weather Service in Des Moines will conduct a Test Tornado watch at 10:00 AM. The test watch will tone alert on NOAA All Hazards Radio. At 10:15 AM NWS Des Moines, will issue test tornado warnings for counties in NWS Des Moines area. Black Hawk County Emergency Management will sound the Outdoor Warning Sirens. At 10:30 – 10:35 AM NWS Des Moines will terminate the test warning.
Practice Severe Weather Safety Plans
This drill is a good time to practice severe weather safety plans, take shelter in a safe place, and monitor NOAA weather radio or tune into local media for information as you would during a real severe weather event. A designated tornado-safe room or the innermost and lowest windowless room is the preferred area to go in the event of a tornado.
Alternative Tornado Drill Date
If severe weather is threatening the area on the day of the drill, the drill will be held on March 29 or 30 as determined by the National Weather Service.
Outdoor Warning System Test Cancelled
Due to the date of this test, the outdoor warning sirens will not be tested on Wednesday April 4, 2018 at 11:00am. For more information contact the Black Hawk County Emergency Management Agency at 319-291-4373.