ASHEBORO N.C. – The National Weather Service along with North Carolina Department of Public Safety and local broadcasters will hold a statewide tornado drill this week as part of Severe Weather Preparedness Week.
On Wednesday, March 8th at 9:30 AM, the National Weather Service will conduct a statewide tornado drill. Every school, business, and residence are encouraged to participate in this drill by taking a few moments to practice your severe weather safety plan and seek shelter for a few minutes as if a tornado were headed your way.
The test will come in the form of a Required Monthly Test which will be activated by the State Emergency Alert System and be carried by local radio broadcasters.
The statewide drill is part of North Carolina’s annual Severe Weather Preparedness Week. This week the National Weather Service and the North Carolina Department of Public Safety are teaming up to bring this severe weather safety campaign to all of North Carolina’s residents.
With warmer weather quickly approaching, now is the time to prepare for the severe weather season. If each North Carolina resident would take a few moments this week to learn about severe weather safety and implement a safety plan, then we would all be better off when severe thunderstorms and tornadoes inevitably strike our state and the likelihood of injury and fatalities caused by severe weather could be minimized.
According to weather.gov, “the typical peak tornado season in North Carolina runs from March through May, though tornadoes can occur at any time of year. Although North Carolina has fewer tornadoes than the Midwest, we still see an average of 31 tornadoes a year.”
Visit the North Carolina Department of Public Safety’s preparedness website readync.org where you can find information to help you plan and prepare for the severe weather season.