NWS: Tornado Drill Set For Thursday, Feb. 29th (Are You Ready)
ROBERTSON COUNTY TENNESSEE: (Smokey Barn News) – The National Weather Service will be conducting a Tornado Drill, on February 29th at 9:30 am CST. The drill was originally scheduled to be held on February 28th but was moved to the 29th due to incoming weather. (See a weather report at the bottom of this report)
How will the drill affect me? If you have a weather radio it will tone and depending on participation, you may hear tornado sirens. You may also see social media drill-related posts and some schools and businesses may participate in the drill.
The National Weather Service has deliberately scheduled the drill for a time when the weather will be calm to avoid causing anxiety.
Are you ready for a tornado? Smokey Barn News has added information provided by the National Weather Service to test your preparedness for a tornado.
What is a tornado? A tornado is a violently rotating column of air extending from the base of a thunderstorm down to the ground. Tornadoes are capable of completely destroying well-made structures, uprooting trees, and hurling objects through the air like deadly missiles. Tornadoes can occur at any time of day or night and at any time of the year. Although tornadoes are most common in the Central Plains and the southeastern United States, they have been reported in all 50 states.
Prepare! Don’t let Tornadoes Take You by Surprise
The links below will help you find out what you can do now to prepare for a tornado. Preparation is key to staying safe and minimizing impacts.
• Be Weather-Ready: Check the forecast regularly to see if you’re at risk for tornadoes. Listen to local news or a NOAA Weather Radio to stay informed about tornado watches and warnings. Check the Weather-Ready Nation for tips.
• Sign Up for Notifications: Know how your community sends warnings. Some communities have outdoor sirens. Others depend on media and smart phones to alert residents of severe storms capable of producing tornadoes.
• Create a Communications Plan: Have a family plan that includes an emergency meeting place and related information. If you live in a mobile home or home without a basement, identify a nearby safe building you can get too quickly, such as a church or family member.
• Pick a safe room in your home, such as a basement, storm cellar, or an interior room on the lowest floor with no windows. Check more ideas for your family plan at: https://www.ready.gov/make-a-plan
• Practice Your Plan: Conduct a family severe thunderstorm drill regularly so everyone knows what to do if a tornado is approaching. Make sure all members of your family know to go there when tornado warnings are issued. Don’t forget pets if time allows.
• Prepare Your Home: Consider having your safe room reinforced. You can find plans for reinforcing an interior room to provide better protection on the Federal Emergency Management Agency website.
• Help Your Neighbor: Encourage your loved ones to prepare for the possibility of tornadoes. Take CPR training so you can help if someone is hurt.
What to do During a Tornado
Find out what you can do when a tornado strikes. Acting quickly is key to staying safe and minimizing impacts.
• Stay Weather-Ready: Continue to listen to local news or a NOAA Weather Radio to stay updated about tornado watches and warnings.
• At Your House: If you are in a tornado warning, go to your basement, safe room, or an interior room away from windows. Don’t forget pets if time allows.
• At Your Workplace or School: Follow your tornado drill and proceed to your tornado shelter location quickly and calmly. Stay away from windows and do not go to large open rooms such as cafeterias, gymnasiums, or auditoriums.
• Outside: Seek shelter inside a sturdy building immediately if a tornado is approaching. Sheds and storage facilities are not safe. Neither is a mobile home or tent. If you have time, get to a safe building.
• In a vehicle: Being in a vehicle during a tornado is not safe. The best course of action is to drive to the closest shelter. If you are unable to make it to a safe shelter, either get down in your car and cover your head, or abandon your car and seek shelter in a low lying area such as a ditch or ravine.
What to do After a Tornado
The links below to find out what you can do after a tornado has occurred.
• Stay Informed: Continue to listen to local news or a NOAA Weather Radio to stay updated about tornado watches and warnings. Multiple rounds of thunderstorms capable of producing tornadoes are possible during severe weather outbreaks.
• Contact Your Family and Loved Ones: Let your family and close friends know that you’re okay so they can help spread the word. Text messages or social media are more reliable forms of communication than phone calls.
• Assess the Damage: After the threat for tornadoes has ended, check to see if your property has been damaged. When walking through storm damage, wear long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, and sturdy shoes. Contact local authorities if you see power lines down. Stay out of damaged buildings. Be aware of insurance scammers if your property has been damaged.
• Help Your Neighbor: If you come across people that are injured and you are properly trained, provide first aid to victims if needed until emergency response teams arrive.
For additional information for Tennessee Severe Weather Awareness Week, please see our website here: https://www.weather.gov/ohx/swaw2024
Take the time to make sure the batteries are fresh in your NOAA Weather Radio and tomorrow evening, make sure your cell phone is charged. Remember, we want you to have multiple ways to get warnings.
BE PREPARED: Before the Storm Strikes. (A message from Weather.gov)
At home and at work, your primary concerns are the potential loss of heat/AC, power, telephone service, and a shortage of supplies if storm conditions continue for more than a day. Test units regularly to ensure they are working properly. Have available:
• Flashlight and extra batteries.
• Battery-powered NOAA Weather Radio and portable radio to receive emergency information. These may be your only links to the outside.
• Extra food and water. High energy food, such as dried fruit or candy, and food requiring no cooking or refrigeration is best.
• Extra medicine and baby items.
• First-aid supplies.
• Have proper ventilation.
• Fire extinguisher and smoke detector.
In cars and trucks, Plan your travel and check the latest weather reports to avoid the storm!
- What: Strong Winds & Thunderstorms
- Strong Winds: Winds will increase throughout the day, peaking after sunset. Wind gusts of 40 to 45 mph will be possible, and a Wind Advisory is in effect for all counties.
- Thunderstorms: A few thunderstorms may turn strong tonight and early Wednesday morning across northwest Middle Tennessee where a marginal risk is in place.
- When: Wind Advisory is in effect from noon Tuesday until 6am Wednesday. Main timing for strong thunderstorms will be between 3am and 6am Wednesday.
- Where: Strong winds expected across all of Middle Tennessee. Strong thunderstorms possible across northwest Middle Tennessee.
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