Severe Weather Awareness Week in Ohio

CINCINNATI - Sunday kicked off the beginning of Severe Weather Awareness Week in Ohio (March 25-31) and to prepare for the upcoming severe weather season a state-wide tornado drill be will held to test sirens and the Emergency Alert System.

The tornado drill, which will be held Wednesday March 28 at 9:50 a.m., will also serve as a reminder for people to prepare for severe weather. Now is a good time for you and your family to plan and practice your own drills and safety procedures.

Severe weather typically occurs in the Tri-State during the months of April, May and June, but this year has been quite active already.

Just in the month of March, we’ve seen two tornado events. First we had a deadly tornado outbreak on March 2 and another small outbreak on March 23.

9 News Chief Meteorologist Steve Raleigh is calling for a chance of thunderstorms on Wednesday… the same day that the Ohio state-wide tornado drill is scheduled to take place.

Raleigh says that if there appears to be a threat of severe weather on that day, the drill will be canceled and moved to a different day.

The 9 News weather team wants you to be ready for severe weather season, and that’s why we’ve put together a half-hour special to focus on safety and preparedness.

The 9 News severe weather special called “Get Ready: Preparing Your Family for the Worst,” will air on Saturday, March 31 at 7 p.m.

We know how busy life can get, especially on the weekends, so if you’ve got something going on at that time, or have plans to watch the Final Four game between the University of Kentucky vs. the University of Louisville… DVR it!

The special will include a lot of important information to keep you and your family safe during severe weather.

Of course, you can always get the latest weather forecast and severe weather updates, anytime, on WCPO.com.