This is Severe Weather Awareness Week.

A release from the Pettis County Sheriff’s office says a different severe-weather theme is headlined each day to help citizens prepare for the upcoming storm season.

Residents are encouraged to use this week- particularly the annual test day on Tuesday- to review their severe weather safety plans. Practice what you would do in a real severe weather emergency.

The statewide tornado drill for Missouri, including the counties in the KMMO listening area, will take place at 10 a.m. on Tuesday.

The National Weather Service in Pleasant Hill will issue a test tornado warning as part of the drill. Local warning sirens, NOAA All-Hazards Weather Radio, and the Emergency Alert System (EAS) will be activated upon receipt of this warning, to signal the start of the drill. The “TOR” code for EAS and NOAA Weather Radio will be used again this year to simulate what would occur in the event of an actual tornado warning.

Residents should treat the drill as if it were an actual tornado emergency. The purpose of the annual drill is to test everyone’s readiness for life-threatening severe weather events such as tornadoes, flash floods, large hail, and damaging winds.

Daily themes during this week will include:
· Monday – Receiving Weather Information;
· Tuesday – Tornadoes;
· Wednesday – Lightning;
· Thursday – Wind and Hail;
· Friday – Flooding.