Kansas Severe Weather Preparedness Week is March 7 to 11 this year. The week is designed to give the residents of Kansas an opportunity to learn, practice and prepare for the upcoming severe weather season. This year, a plethora of Kansas related severe weather information can be found at: http://www.weather.gov/media/gid/awareness/swaw/SWAW_2022.pdf

At that link, you will find a PDF document with a summary of 2021 tornado statistics, historical tornado information, NWS office contact information and definitions. This year, there is a long review of the Dec. 15 wind, wildfire, dust storm and severe weather event, which was arguably the most active weather day of the year in Kansas.

On Tuesday, March 8, at 10 a.m., local NWS offices will initiate a test of the NOAA Weather Radio All-Hazards system by sending a test tornado warning. This warning will be sent as a “Routine Weekly Test (RWT)” and will not trigger cell phones or other automated notification systems. The test is designed to provide a common starting for all Kansans to participate in a mock severe weather situation and practice their safety plan in preparation for a real event.

There are many ways to be informed and prepared for severe weather. The NWS hopes the people of Kansas will take severe weather seriously and use Severe Weather Preparedness Week to do just that: prepare.