Buffalo County Takes Part in Nebraska Severe Weather Awareness Week

The National Weather Service and the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency have announced March 25th through the 29th as Severe Weather Awareness Week in Nebraska. A statewide tornado safety drill will be conducted during the morning of March 27th at 10 AM. NOTE: There is no alternate date scheduled due to any possible inclement weather on Wednesday.

All across Nebraska, each Emergency Management agency will participate in the tornado safety drill to prepare for the 2024 severe weather season. Schools, hospitals, industries, public facilities and citizens are also encouraged to test their readiness should a tornado or severe weather event actually occur. Local outdoor warning sirens, NOAA Weather Radio alarms, will be activated to signal the start of the drill. Actions should then be taken as if it were a real emergency. The drill will test everyone’s readiness for a life threatening severe weather event, such as a tornado. Other severe weather threats that must also be prepared for include: flash flooding, large hail, lightning and damaging winds.

Severe Weather Awareness Week comes before the traditional peak tornado months of May, June, and July in Nebraska. When atmospheric conditions are right, however, tornadoes can occur at any time of the year. Questions or comments about tornado and severe weather preparedness or the annual drill should be directed to Buffalo County Emergency Management office or the local National Weather Service office in Hastings.

Buffalo County will test the sirens during the Tornado drill on Wednesday March 27th.  NOTE: Emergency Management in Buffalo County will forego the sounding of sirens for the drill if there is inclement weather on Wednesday. The county will test again sounding the sirens on the regular test day on Thursday April 4th
2024 at 5:30 PM.

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