(WVNS) – Welcome to West Virginia’s Severe Weather Awareness Week! Your only local Weather Ready Nation Ambassador weather team, StormTracker 59, is participating in a week-long Severe Weather Awareness event hosted by the National Weather Service – Charleston. This is a series encompassing the entire work week dedicated to helping you be prepared for severe weather – something we see every year here in our region! Whether it’s damaging wind gusts, flooding, tornadoes, hail or something else, this week is dedicated to helping prepare you and your family for Mother Nature’s worse!

For Wednesday, March 22nd, our topic takes a look at the statewide tornado drill:

What to expect

  • Weather radio will sound.
  • Phone push notifications possible.
  • Emergency Alert System activated.
  • County tornado sirens may sound.

What should you do?

Ask yourself:

  • What if this was real?
  • Does my family have a plan?
  • Are we prepared?
  • Create a kit: Air horn, batteries, boots, cell phone, first-aid kit, flashlight, food, helmet, water and weather radio.

Know how to get alerts for tornado watches and warnings to help keep yourself prepared and safe:

  • On air on WVNS-TV 59 on CBS at 5 AM, 6 AM, 12 PM, 5 PM, 6 PM and 11 PM Monday through Friday and 6 PM and 11 PM on the weekends.
  • On air on WVNS-TV 59 on Fox at 10 PM Monday through Sunday.
  • Online on our website here, where you can see the latest watches, warnings, forecast. discussions, videos, current data and so much more!
  • The StormTracker 59 mobile app, free on the Apple and Google Play.
  • The StormTracker 59 Facebook page and Twitter page.
  • NOAA weather radio.
  • Emergency Alerts activated.
  • WVNS push notifications turned on.

Know where to go

If a tornado warning is issued in your area, it’s important to have a plan in place for you and your family so that you can be prepared and be safe!

  • The safest place during a tornado in your home is in a basement or if available, head to an underground tornado shelter.
  • If no basement or underground shelter is available, take cover in an interior room on the lowest floor, away from windows.
  • If outside and no shelter is nearby, go to a low-lying area, such as a ditch or ravine and lie flat. Protect your head and neck with an object or with your arms. Avoid areas with many trees.
  • If you’re in a vehicle, don’t try to outrun a tornado. Cars, buses and trucks are easily tossed by tornado winds. Stay away from highway overpasses and bridges.

Myth or Fact?

  • Mountains stop tornadoes.
  • Tornadoes cannot jump rivers.
  • We don’t see tornadoes here.