Minnesota to Conduct Tornado Drills This Thursday Amid Severe Weather Awareness Week

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Residents in Minnesota can expect to hear tornado sirens on Thursday, April 10, as part of the annual Severe Weather Awareness Week, a statewide initiative to prepare communities for potential severe weather.

The National Weather Service (NWS) announced that counties throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin will participate in this tornado drill, with sirens set to sound at 1:45 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. This event encourages schools, businesses, and families to practice their severe weather safety plans.

Hennepin County officials confirmed that the outdoor warning sirens will be tested twice, first for institutions and businesses and later for families, reinforcing the importance of readiness in the face of adverse weather conditions.

“Don’t be alarmed if you hear the tornado sirens,” said Brennan Dettmann, a meteorologist with the NWS in Chanhassen. “It’s part of the drill meant to ensure the public is familiar with the alerts and prepared for any severe weather events that might arise later in the season.”

The current weather forecast for Thursday predicts temperatures around the low 50s with a 20% chance of precipitation, making it a suitable day for these drills. However, officials emphasized that the drill will proceed unless there is a significant severe weather threat.

“We will only cancel the drills if there is a high risk of severe weather,” Hennepin County officials stated. “Otherwise, we encourage everyone to participate and get familiar with the tornado warning system.”

The drills, also part of Severe Weather Awareness Week, run from April 7 to April 11. Each day focuses on different weather hazards, starting with alerts and warnings, followed by topics such as severe weather, flooding, and heat-related emergencies.

On Wednesday, the initiative highlighted the dangers of flooding, which is historically more lethal in Minnesota than other weather events. Officials remind residents that as little as six inches of rushing water can sweep someone off their feet.

Friday will conclude the week with a focus on heat-related emergencies, where residents are urged to stay hydrated and check on vulnerable individuals.

“The goal of Severe Weather Awareness Week is to educate the public,” said a spokesperson for Polk County Emergency Management. “Understanding the distinctions between a watch and a warning is vital for keeping residents safe.”

Residents are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the significance of alerts: a tornado watch indicates favorable conditions for storms, whereas a tornado warning confirms that a tornado is occurring or imminent.

County emergency managers also plan to implement Partial County Alerting using National Weather Service radios, which will refine the targeting of weather radio warnings, reducing undue alerts for residents far from the storm’s path.

As the peak severe weather season approaches, officials stress the importance of being informed and prepared to take action when severe weather threatens.