To promote awareness of tornados, thunderstorms, and flooding, Wisconsin designated April 8-12 as Tornado and Severe Weather Awareness Week, featuring statewide tornado drills on April 11th.
With an average of 23 tornados annually, the state experienced 21 confirmed tornados in 2023, as reported by the National Weather Service.
Notably, 15 tornados made landfall on a single day during storms that traveled through Southern Wisconsin on March 31st that year.
ReadyWisconsin suggests certain measures to ensure safety during severe weather.
This includes formulating an emergency plan and conducting regular drills, familiarizing yourself with designated shelters at home, work, and school, and being prepared to seek refuge when a tornado warning is issued, along with establishing multiple channels to receive alerts regarding approaching severe weather and enabling Wireless Emergency Alerts on mobile devices.
The annual statewide tornado drills, occurring on April 11th at 1:45 p.m. and 6:45 p.m., offer an opportunity to practice tornado sheltering plans.
In the event of a severe weather threat in Wisconsin on April 11th, the statewide drills will be rescheduled for Friday, April 12th.
The drills will proceed in all other conditions, including non-severe weather.
However, if severe weather is also anticipated on Friday, they will be canceled.
