Texas Schools to Hold Tornado Drill on April 9 During Severe Weather Awareness Week

With severe weather season upon us in Texas, the National Weather Service (NWS) in San Angelo will hold a tornado drill to help prepare for Mother Nature's dangerous events, including tornadoes.

Whether you're at home, work, or school, this is the perfect opportunity to make sure you know what your plan will be in case of a tornado,  identify safe shelter locations, and make sure Texans know what to do if a twister drops out of the sky.

Texas Tornado Drill

At 10:00 AM on April 9, the NWS in San Angelo will transmit a Routine Weekly Test Message through the Emergency Alert System (EAS). While this message won’t be an actual Tornado Warning, it’s intended to prompt tornado drill exercises in schools and workplaces across the region.

MORE: Stay Safe In Texas With Code Red Alerts 

Why This Matters

As most Texans can attest, we experience some of the country's most brutal weather with spring storms spinning off tornadoes, hailstorms, and flash flooding. If you’re new to the Lone Star State, this is a great way to make sure you’re prepared when the twisters start spinning up in Texas.

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Texas Twister Plan

• Know Your Shelter: Make sure you are in an interior room on the lowest floor, away from windows.
• Stay Informed: Have a weather radio, smartphone alerts like Code Red, or local news apps set up.
• Educate Everyone: Make sure kids understand the drill and feel safe practicing it.
• Review Emergency Plans: Assign roles and responsibilities so everyone knows what to do.
• Be Consistent: If 10:00 AM doesn’t work, pick a time that does and execute your plan

I know that it may seem a bit silly to act like there is a tornado, but it's important to know exactly what you would do in case one of these twisters spins up near you.

Stay safe out there, Texas!