COLUMBUS – Although Ohio’s winter has often seemed more like spring, the season officially begins Monday, March 20, and safety authorities are reminding residents that severe weather may not be far behind.
Not that the state hasn’t already experienced springlike severe weather: The National Weather Service confirmed seven tornado touch downs in southern Ohio on March 1.
Spring Severe Weather Awareness Week and Flood Safety Awareness Week, March 19 – 25
Statewide Tornado Drill: 9:50 a.m. Wednesday, March 22
Springtime hazards in Ohio include tornadoes, thunderstorms, floods, and even snowstorms through the early weeks of the season, as well as flooding which is the weather phenomenon that historically has claimed the most lives.
During the statewide tornado drill at 9:50 a.m. on March 22nd, warning sirens will sound across the state.
The Franklin County Outdoor Warning Siren System will be activated in place of the regular weekly Wednesday noon test, said Jeffrey Young, director of Franklin County Emergency Management and Homeland Security. The sirens will sound one time for three minutes, a longer tone than during the weekly tests. The test tone will be the same “tornado warning” tone which would be used in an actual warning.
As soon as the National Weather Service issues a tornado warning for any part of Franklin County, all 196 sirens in the system are activated for as long as the warning is in effect, Young said. They will sound for three minutes at a time, followed by a seven-minute rest period, and repeat the cycle until the warning is cancelled.
If a tornado warning is issued for your area, seek safe shelter immediately:
DUCK!
D – Go DOWN to the lowest level, stay away from windows
U – Get UNDER something
C – COVER your head
K – KEEP in shelter until the storm has passed
-Franklin Co. Emergency Management & Homeland Security
There are two different tornado advisories issued by the Weather Service: A tornado watch means conditions are favorable for the development of tornadoes and a warning means a tornado has been spotted or radar indicates a twister is imminent.
The Ohio Fire Code requires schools must conduct tornado drills at least once a month whenever in session during the tornado season, which is considered to be April 1 until July 30 in Ohio.
Residents can also receive notification of severe weather and other emergencies through their cellphones and mobile devices via Wireless Emergency Alerts, emergency messages sent by authorized government alerting authorities.
WEAs can notify you of extreme weather warnings, local emergencies requiring evacuation or immediate action, AMBER Alerts, and Presidential Alerts.