Today marks the annual Statewide Tornado Drill across the state of Iowa, an opportunity for residents to understand their plan when severe weather impacts their community.

Mike Fowle with the National Weather Service sasy it’s critical for anyone to be ready to receive alerts related to tornadoes and intense thunderstorms — and for many, they just need to look at the destruction from last year’s severe weather events to understand the potential impact of those weather threats.

Fowle led storm spotter training in partnership with Marion County Emergency Management earlier this month, and says an informed public helps them in a variety of ways, by both understanding why safety is key during tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings, but also in reporting damage and other details back to local emergency responders and to the National Weather Service.

Hear more about Severe Weather Awareness week during the statewide tornado drill at 10 a.m. on Wednesday. KNIA/KRLS is airing a special program highlighting how we partner with local and state officials to provide up-to-date severe weather information during our live coverage of severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings in Marion, Warren, and Jasper Counties.