Northwest Iowa — This is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Iowa, and a part of that will be a statewide tornado drill Wednesday morning, in conjunction with the National Weather Service office in Sioux Falls.
A test tornado warning will go out during the 11 a.m. hour on Wednesday, weather permitting.
Warning Coordination Meteorologist Peter Rogers with the Weather Service’s Sioux Falls office tells us that this year, instead of sending a real tornado warning, they will send the message as part of their weekly test. That means that automatic equipment may not do what it usually does. But Rogers says the reason for the change is that there have been instances where the TEST warning has been disseminated as an actual warning and caused public confusion. He says Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management made the change. The time of day of the test is slightly changed as well, from the 10 a.m. hour in years past, to the 11 a.m. hour this year. Rogers says besides checking sirens and other emergency equipment, the test is also an opportunity for the public.
(as said:) “It’s just an opportunity for people to practice their severe weather safety as it relates to either their families, their businesses, or their schools. What kind of actions are you going to be taking when severe weather strikes your areas?”
Weather Service and emergency management authorities tell us the times for the drill are approximate.
When the warning is issued, things will proceed just like they would for an actual tornado warning. The 911 dispatch centers will receive the warning and will activate the tornado sirens in all of their communities.
When you hear the siren, hear the alert on the radio, or receive the warning in another way, they ask that you and your family do what you would normally do if a tornado were actually imminent. Go to your basement or place of safety, and practice your plan.
Rogers tells us what a tornado actually is.
(as said:) “A tornado is simply a violently-rotating column of air. Often times when we look at our severe weather training that we do in our classes, we look at the difference between a funnel and a tornado. The big difference is that that tornado is actually in contact with the ground and even though you might not be able to see it [the rotating column of air] visibly you can see swirling debris or dust at the surface because of that rotating air. And so that’s simply what a tornado is and it can take many different forms. They can be very weak. They can be very violent, but no matter what strength they are they can certainly cause problems either to yourself or to your property. “
The weather service also reminds you to listen to the entire warning so you know what to expect, as a tornado warning is issued for everything from minor tornadoes all the way up to the largest, multiple vortex tornadoes.
Officials also remind you that not all tornados happen when you’re at home, so they say you should practice other scenarios as well, such as if you’re at work, school, daycare, the ballfield, or even in your vehicle.
