City Subscriptions

Severe Weather Awareness Week Tornado Drill Day is today; extra practice sirens will sound

[DULUTH, MN] For decades, the state of Minnesota has conducted Severe Weather Awareness Week in partnership with the National Weather Service and local governments. Severe Weather Awareness Week is April 8 through April 12. Thursday, April 11 is Tornado Drill Day, with a statewide tornado drill as part of the event.?

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DPS-HSEM) has encouraged counties to sound their outdoor warning sirens at 1:45 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. on Thursday, April 11 so Minnesotans can practice their tornado sheltering plans.?

The statewide drill traditionally occurs on Thursday afternoon at 1:45 p.m., when jurisdictions across Minnesota sound their outdoor warning sirens. Schools, businesses and other facilities are encouraged to conduct a tornado drill at this time to practice their tornado sheltering plans.

The reason for a 6:45 p.m. drill is that severe weather including tornadoes occurs most often between 3 and 8 p.m. The statewide 1:45 p.m. drill gives institutions, first-shift and day workers a time to practice, but it does not allow second-shift workers the same opportunity. The 6:45 p.m. tornado drill also allows families to practice their sheltering plans.

The City of Duluth encourages residents to take advantage of the practice warning sirens today to practice their tornado sheltering plans and discuss warning response with their families.

For more information about tornado drills, download the tornado drill fact sheet: https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/hsem/weather-awareness-preparedness/Documents/2024-tornado-drill-day.pdf

###