If tornado sirens start wailing across Ohio on a quiet Wednesday morning, it is supposed to happen. State emergency managers are reminding residents to expect a statewide tornado drill on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, at 9:50 a.m. The exercise is meant to give communities a chance to test sheltering plans and mass-notification systems, and many schools, workplaces and local agencies plan to use it to run through their severe-weather procedures.
City-level notices are already rolling out. In a March 10 post, the City of Avon announced the drill on its Facebook page and encouraged residents to review their plans. According to a City of Avon Facebook post, siren testing is expected, and local reporting such as BG Independent notes the drill is part of Ohio's Severe Weather Awareness Week (March 15-21).
What to expect on drill day
The National Weather Service events calendar lists Ohio's statewide tornado drill at 9:50 a.m., and the state usually coordinates tests of the Emergency Alert System and NOAA Weather Radio around the same time so practice messages reach radios, broadcasters and participating devices. See the National Weather Service listing and the state EAS RMT schedule in the state EAS RMT schedule for details on those system tests.
Not every county will sound outdoor warning sirens during the drill. Participation and test procedures vary by jurisdiction, and some counties test on a different schedule or rely on text and phone alerts instead. Local reporting has the lists of counties opting in or out; for example, WCPO notes that several southwest Ohio counties will not trigger sirens while others will. So if your neighborhood stays quiet, that can still be part of the plan.
How to prepare
Treat the drill as a cue to review your plans. Know the safest room in your home or workplace, assemble a small emergency kit and make sure everyone in your household knows where to go if a warning is issued. The Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness maintains checklists and downloadable fact sheets at WeatherSafety.Ohio.Gov.
Schools, businesses and organizations should confirm whether their local emergency management office will activate sirens and verify that mass-notification contact information is current. Franklin County's preparedness page lists local alert options such as FCReady and encourages practicing shelter drills; see Franklin County Emergency Management for an example of county guidance.
If severe weather is imminent on the morning of March 18, the statewide exercise may be postponed or adjusted, so residents are advised to check local emergency-management pages and official channels for day-of updates. Officials say the test is voluntary and intended to improve readiness, not to cause alarm.
