Minnesotans, brace yourselves: From April 8-12, the state is marking National Severe Weather Awareness Week, a time to get savvy about staying safe when Mother Nature shows her might. With severe weather a perennial threat — one that can unleash chaos on both lives and property — local officials are urging the public to take notice and take action. Washington County is hopping on the bandwagon, prepping to participate in the statewide tornado drill scheduled for Thursday, April 11, at both 1:45 p.m. and 6:45 p.m., according to the county's announcement.
It's a potent reminder that when sirens wail, they're talking to those out and about, for those warning sirens crowning Washington County are for outdoor ears only. For an indoor heads-up, locals should look into additional alert methods — because cell phones and NOAA weather radios are failsafe ways to make sure you're in the know fast, with the county pushing for residents to sign up for emergency alerts, learn the ropes of weather apps, and pick up a trusty NOAA weather radio, full info on which can be snagged from the National Weather Service's Weather Radio page.
And when storms hit, remember this: Severe thunderstorms packing winds or hail at speeds of 58 mph are no joke, some blasting through with straight-line winds topping 100 mph, which is plenty to get community sirens screaming. The county's directive is clear: Treat every severe storm like a tornado, find solid shelter pronto, skip the urge to hunker beneath lonely trees, and for heaven's sake, duck and cover if you're caught in lightning's open-air dance, and avoid plugged-in temptations like phones or appliances because electricity's reach is long and not in your favor.
Floods are getting their due spotlight too under the umbrella of Severe Weather Awareness Week, with a call to arms for emergency kits and evacuation plans — a must-be given floods' nasty habit of claiming nearly 200 lives annually on a national scale and causing damage to the tune of $2 billion, as stated by the Minnesota Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, so heed barricades, shirk standing water like the plague, and deep-dive into flood preparedness which you can do and don't think driving or walking through flooded streets is ever a bright idea.
Come tornado time, the plan is crystal: Beeline to the safest, snuggest spot in the building when the drills—or the real thing—take over the airwaves, forego the temptation to peek through windows, and keep both feet far from any vehicle. The NWS has all the tornado prep talk you need to weather any weather.
Last, but hardly least, in blistering heat where the risk of hyperthermia looms, the county's mantra is 'stay cool, stay hydrated,' crank the A/C if you've got it, and take it slow. Never, ever forget kids or pets in parked cars, not even for a New York minute, and mind those especially vulnerable to the heat. For those at the fringe where wild meets urban, the Firewise in Minnesota program is your go-to for keeping homes safe from wildfires.
