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  • March 24, 2023

Statewide tornado drill and wireless test emergency alerts rescheduled for Friday

April 5, 2019

Friday’s schedule for the drill will remain the same, with a mock tornado watch issued at 1 p.m., followed by a statewide mock tornado warning at 1:45 p.m. and a second mock tornado warning at 6:45 p.m.

As a part of Wisconsin Tornado and Severe Weather Awareness Week, there will be two statewide tornado drills at 1 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. on Friday April 12. More information about the mock drill can be found online.

Additionally, the Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management will issue test wireless emergency alerts at 1:45 p.m. The alert will coincide with the statewide tornado drill.

Drill Schedule

  • 1 p.m. | National Weather Service issues a mock tornado watch for all of Wisconsin and the adjacent coastal waters of Lake Michigan and Lake Superior
  • 1:45 p.m. | National Weather Service issues mock tornado warning for all of Wisconsin
  • 2 p.m. | End of 1:45 p.m. mock tornado warning drill
  • 6:45 p.m. | National Weather Service issues a mock tornado warning for all of Wisconsin
  • 7 p.m. | End of 6:45 p.m. mock tornado warning drill

A watch means tornadoes are possible in the area— remain alert for approaching storms. A warning means a tornado has been sighted or indicated on weather radar. During a tornado warning, move to a place of safety immediately.


More information about Wisconsin Tornado and Severe Weather Awareness Week
According to the National Weather Service, Wisconsin averages 23 tornadoes annually. The week of April 8-12, 2019, is Wisconsin Tornado and Severe Weather Awareness Week. Wisconsin Emergency Management and the five National Weather Service Forecast Offices encourage Wisconsin residents to review their safety plans in case of a weather emergency.

The tornado drills and text alerts are part of the annual spring severe weather campaign to encourage Wisconsin residents to be ready for possible tornadoes and severe weather. The drill on April 11 will begin with a mock tornado watch at 1 p.m., followed by a statewide mock tornado warning at 1:45 p.m.

Many radio and TV stations across the state will issue the test tornado warnings. In addition, mock alerts will be issued on National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather radios and many communities will sound its tornado sirens to test its emergency severe weather plans. A later mock tornado warning will also be issued at 6:45 p.m.

The tornado drills will take place even if the sky is cloudy, dark or rainy. If actual severe storms are expected in the state on Thursday, April 11, the tornado drills will be postponed until Friday, April 12 with the same times. If severe storms continue Friday, the drills will be cancelled.

Tornado Safety Rules from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: 

  • If you are in a home or small business:
    Go to the basement or a small interior room such as a closet, bathroom or interior hallway without windows on the lowest level. Put as many walls between yourself and the outside as possible. If possible, get under something sturdy, such as a heavy table or use a mattress to protect yourself from flying debris. Most injuries associated with high winds are from flying debris— remember to protect your head. If available, put on a bicycle or motorcycle helmet to protect yourself from head injuries.
  • If you are in a large business, school, hospital, shopping center or factory:
    Go to the designated shelter area. If a shelter area is not available, the best place is to go to an interior hallway on the lowest level. Stay away from the structurally weaker portions of buildings, such as windows and rooms with expansive roofs, which are more likely to collapse when tornadoes strike.
  • If you are in a mobile home or home on stilts:
    Get out and take shelter in a sturdy building or storm shelter. If there is not one nearby, take shelter in the most interior room that has no windows, such as an interior bathroom or closet.
  • If you are caught in a vehicle:
    Get out and into a sturdy shelter. If one is not available nearby, get to a low spot and cover your head from flying debris. Do not take cover under an overpass as this does not provide adequate shelter during a tornado and can cause increased wind speeds due to a tunneling effect.

Do not waste time opening windows in an attempt to prevent damage to a building. The old belief that damage could result from rapid pressure changes during a tornado is NOT TRUE. It will not make any difference in a tornado if the window is open or not.

Your safest course of action is to take shelter immediately when a tornado warning is issued for your area.

Marquette reminds all students, faculty and staff to review the university’s Severe Weather Policies. For more information on preparing for and staying safe during severe weather, visit the Wisconsin Emergency Management or Ready Wisconsin’s website. Updates will also be posted on Ready Wisconsin’s Facebook,  Twitter and Instagram.

Filed Under: For Faculty/Staff, For Students, News

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