As part of Severe Weather Awareness Week in Iowa, a Statewide Tornado Drill will take place beginning at 10-a.m., today. The event will unfold as follows:

• 10:00-a.m.: Test Tornado Watch from 10-a.m. to 11-a.m.  Emergency Alert Systems (EAS) will sound, and Weather Radios in all 99 counties will activate.
• 10:15-a.m., there will be a test Tornado Warning. At that time, sirens will sound throughout communities in Iowa, not only as part of the drill, but to test the sirens for actual severe weather. The National Weather Service recommends using the time to prepare for the real thing.
• 10:35-a.m.:  The test Tornado Warning will expire.
• 11:00-a.m.: The test Tornado Watch will expire.

This test will not activate the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) on your mobile device, but some counties, including Cass, will activate their respective Emergency Notification System. If you haven’t already registered for the Cass County ENS, go to links located on the Cass County homepage (http://www.casscountyiowa.us/) or the Cass County EMA Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/CassCoEMA). If you need further assistance, contact Mike Kennon, Cass County Emergency Management Agency Coordinator at 712-243-1500.

In 2018, there were 69 tornadoes in Iowa. 48 is the average number of tornadoes in the state. The peak months for tornadoes are May and June, but in Iowa, every month experienced a tornado. The majority of tornadoes occur during the afternoon and evening hours.  Now is the time to plan and prepare for where you would go during a tornado at home, at work or school and while commuting. Plans may vary based upon your unique circumstances.