Today begins the annual Tornado and Severe Weather Awareness Week in Wisconsin.
Statistics from past years shows Wisconsin sees an increase in severe weather events starting in April and May, with the peak months being in June, July and August.
So why observed this week during mid-April every calendar year instead of during the summer? It’s all about being prepared.
“We’re at the beginning stages of it right now,” says Tim Halbach, Warning Coordination Meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Sullivan, which services southeast and south central Wisconsin, “and we’ve gone through a long period where we typically don’t get severe weather. So it’s kind of a change in mentality into what people need to do and plan for if severe weather happens. Different vulnerabilities; if you’re outside camping or a tornado warning is issued, what do you do in those situations.”
It can also help people who are not familiar with the weather dangers outside of winter learn more about the risks of high winds, hail and flash flooding among severe storms and tornadoes. “Sometimes we have new people that move to the area too,” says Halbach, “so it’s kind of an awareness thing for them to know what they should do, and what kind of actions they can take to be safe when severe weather happens.”
The annual week is a collaboration between the National Weather Service and Ready Wisconsin. Spokesperson Andrew Beckett says the week is a great opportunity to remind people how to stay safe when severe weather events occur.
“The campaign is really designed to encourage people to start thinking early on about what they need to do during the tornado and severe weather season,” says Beckett. “We really want people to be planning in advance and take the time to review their plans for what they do if a tornado or a severe thunderstorm warning were issued, including where they would go to seek shelter.”
More on the weather dangers from severe storms in Wisconsin from the National Weather Service can be found here.
More on how to prepare and plan for severe weather events from Ready Wisconsin can be found here.
