DES MOINES – Cass County Emergency Management, Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEMD), National Weather Service (NWS), and Iowa Emergency Management Association (IEMA) have joined together to promote Severe Weather Awareness Week in Iowa.

Severe Weather Awareness Week, March 21-25, is an opportunity to highlight the importance of being aware of, and prepared for, severe weather. It is also an ideal time to review your family’s emergency plan, check the contents of your emergency kit, and sign up to receive alerts to stay weather aware.

Mike Kennon, Cass County EMA Coordinator says “Severe weather season arrived much earlier than is typical this year. The December 15th derecho that spawned a local tornado as well as the deadly March 5th tornado in Madison County remind us that we need to stay prepared for severe weather events.”

Each day during Severe Weather Awareness Week has a different focus:

Monday – Severe thunderstorms
Tuesday – Weather warnings
Wednesday – Tornadoes
Thursday – Family preparedness
Friday – Flash floods

The annual statewide tornado drill will take place on Wed., March 23, beginning at 10 a.m. In the event of severe weather, the drill will be postponed to March 24 at 10 a.m.

Additional information about the tornado drill can be found on local NWS-DM website. For more information on severe weather preparedness, visit www.beready.iowa.gov.

To find a link to sign up for local emergency alerts on the Cass County homepage, visit https://www.casscountyia.gov or https://homelandsecurity.iowa.gov/alert-iowa

Follow HSEMD, IEMA, and NWS on social media using the hashtag #IAwx and #ReadyIowa.