Statewide Tornado Drill at 10:00 a.m.
As part of Severe Weather Awareness Week, the National Weather Service, the Missouri Department of Public Safety, and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) will be conducting a statewide Tornado Drill today, Tuesday, March 7, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. Central. Your weather radio alerts should sound, and you should be able to hear your local outdoor tornado sirens if you live in an area that has them close by.
When this drill commences, please tune into the Southwest Missouri Regional Skywarn linked repeaters and check in with Jim N0UAM as he calls a special net. Please note that this net will take the place of the regular Tuesday evening Skywarn Training Net on this date.
This drill is a great opportunity for you to prepare yourself for a tornado emergency at home, where you work, and where you spend your free time. If a tornado strikes while you are on your commute, do you know where all of the public shelters are located along your route? This week is a great time to find where they are. What about you and your family? Do you have a plan should a tornado strike while you are apart at work or school? Do you have a designated person whom you all know to contact in case you can’t reach one another? How about your amateur radio transceivers? Do you always have extra batteries charged and ready? Or do you have a special battery pack for your HT that allows you to use standard alkaline batteries?
Do you know the difference between a Tornado Watch and a Tornado Warning?
Tornado Watch: Conditions are favorable for severe thunderstorms and possible tornado development. This is the time to prepare. Keep alert by listing to NOAA Weather Radio, or the commercial media for the latest weather information.
Tornado Warning: A tornado has been sighted or the NWS is seeing signs on radar that indicate a thunderstorm may be capable of producing a tornado at any minute. People in the path of the storm should take immediate life-saving action.
Skywarn Spotter Training at 6:30 p.m.
With two severe weather outbreaks in two weeks, this would be a great time for you to brush up on your storm spotting training. The National Weather Service will be holding their Spotter Training right in the heart of Springfield today, Tuesday, March 7, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. We hope to see you there!
Location: Assembly Of God Headquarters Auditorium
1445 N. Boonville Ave.
Springfield, Missouri 65802
(use the interactive map below for your convenience)