Statewide tornado drill rescheduled for April 21; some cities will sound sirens

Rebecca Loroff, Green Bay Press-Gazette
·1 min read
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This infographic shows the plans for a tornado drill for April 20, released April 6, 2023.
This infographic shows the plans for a tornado drill for April 20, released April 6, 2023.

Editor's note: The story and headlines have been updated to indicate that the statewide tornado drill has been postponed until April 21 because of possible severe weather in souther and central Wisconsin on Thursday to prevent any confusions if the weather service has to issue real warnings. "The decision only affects the official observation of the statewide tornado drill and the planned NOAA Weather Radio tests," the state Department of Military Affairs said. "Schools and businesses that had planned to participate in the drill on Thursday are welcome to keep those plans in place. Check with local emergency management offices for information on if they will carry on with or delay scheduled outdoor warning siren tests."

The state of Wisconsin has announced its plans for a statewide tornado drill on April 21, the National Weather Service announced April 6.

The drills are scheduled for 1:45 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. During that time, residents can expect tests on National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration radios.

Some communities will sound sirens, and some TV and radio stations will cut into their programming. However, the National Weather Service will not send push notifications or emergency alerts to smartphones.

The following municipalities have confirmed they will sound outdoor sirens:

  • Outagamie County

  • City of New Berlin

  • Brown County

Wisconsin has already had a number of tornadoes this year. Severe thunderstorms March 31 produced 12 confirmed tornadoes in southwestern Wisconsin, according to the NWS. The storms were part of a much larger front that swept through the middle of the nation, killing over 30 people.

Last year, Wisconsin's tornado count was 28, higher than the yearly average of 23. On June 15, 2022, 13 tornadoes touched down in Wisconsin in what forecasters said was an unusually high number of twisters in one day.

Rebecca Loroff is a breaking and trending news reporter for USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin. Contact her at rloroff@gannett.com.

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This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Wisconsin statewide tornado drill scheduled for April 20