Minnesota weather: Tornado sirens will sound on Thursday

Preparing for severe weather in Minnesota

FOX 9's Cody Matz went behind the scenes at Hennepin County Emergency Management in Medina, where officials are preparing for severe weather awareness week in Minnesota.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The outdoor warning sirens will sound across Minnesota on Thursday, April 20, for a statewide tornado drill as part of severe weather awareness week.

On Thursday, counties will activate the outdoor warning sirens at 1:45 p.m. for schools in businesses to practice what to do if a tornado or severe storm is imminent. And then again at 6:45 p.m. for families. A wireless emergency test will occur at 1 p.m. as well.

This is outside the typical tests done on the first Wednesday of every month at 1 p.m.

If there is a severe weather threat on Thursday, the drills will be canceled.

These outdoor warning sirens, which are typically activated by county, typically sound when the National Weather Service issues a tornado warning and/or there are reports of sustained, dangerous straight-line winds.

Siren safety tips

Hennepin County provided some siren safety tips:

Obey the sirens. Sirens mean people should seek shelter and tune in to local weather information on radio, television or NOAA weather radio. Unless it’s a first Wednesday-of-the-month drill, the warning is real.
Be weather aware. Know the weather forecast when you start the day, and then check the weather throughout the day on days when severe weather is possible.
Be alert and know where to shelter. If conditions change quickly or you see violent/threatening conditions, seek shelter and tune in to local media. Take time today to learn and practice emergency procedures at your workplace or school.
Get a personal warning. Sirens alert people who are outdoors. Inside your home, you may not hear them. Use a NOAA weather radio or a severe weather smartphone app and stay tuned to local media.