As a part of North Carolina’s Severe Weather Preparedness Week, tomorrow, Wednesday, March 6, at 9:30 a.m., the National Weather Service in cooperation with local broadcasters will conduct the annual statewide tornado drill in the form of a Required Monthly Test on all NOAA weather radio and public alert systems.
The alarm test will activate the State Emergency Alert System and be carried by local radio broadcasters. This will allow schools, business, and residents the opportunity to practice their tornado drills and safety plans. Every school, business, workplace, and family across the state is strongly encouraged to participate in the statewide tornado drill.
Here are a couple key things to remember about Wednesday’s statewide tornado drill:
*The drill will be broadcast on NOAA Weather Radio and the Emergency Alert System via the Required Monthly Test (RMT). There will not be an actual Tornado Warning issued.
*This drill and RMT will take the place of the routine weekly NOAA Weather Radio Alert test (RWT). That is, there will not be a routine “weekly radio test” done between 11 a.m. and 12 Noon Wednesday.
*Some NOAA Weather Radio receivers do not sound an audible alert for the RMT product; instead, they may have a blinking light on the display to indicate that an RMT was received. As such, when the RMT for the statewide tornado drill is initiated at 9:30 a.m. EST Wednesday morning, there is a good chance that your NOAA Weather Radio may not sound an alarm.
*Since your NOAA Weather Radio may not sound an alarm at the time the RMT is issued, you will want to do one of the following: manually turn on your NOAA Weather Radio receiver five minutes before the start of the drill, and simply listen to the audio broadcast to hear when the RMT is issued, which will mark the beginning of the statewide tornado drill; or simply plan to start your tornado drill on your own at 9:30 a.m.
*There will be no follow-up statements issued by the NWS to mark the end of the statewide tornado drill. It will simply be over when your group, school, business, organization, or family feels that you have adequately practiced your tornado shelter procedures.
For more information about the statewide tornado drill, and North Carolinas severe weather preparedness week activities, please visit the following web site: http://www.weather.gov/rah/2019ncswpw
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