SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - This is Severe Weather Awareness Week in South Dakota, a time to make preparations to keep you and your family safe from severe spring and summer weather.
Sioux Falls Meteorologist Todd Heitkamp says it's important to have a weather safety plan whether you're a home, work, school or just out and about.
Heitkamp says there are some questions you need ask yourself to make sure all bases are covered. Where is the closest shelter, can you communicate with your family, do you have a way to receive a severe weather warning and what will you do if you hear thunder when you are outside?
He says it's important to know the difference between a weather watch and warning. A watch means conditions are favorable for severe weather to occur. That doesn't mean for certain that it will, it just means that it's possible.
When a watch is issued it's a signal to you to pay close attention to the weather. A warning means that weather event is happening and that's when you need to get to a place of shelter as soon as possible.
Heitkamp says that while we get our fair share of tornadoes in the upper Midwest there are more severe wind events.
He says a thunderstorm warning means a storm that has the capability of producing winds in excess of 60 mph or hail the size of a quarter. Heitkamp says lightning poses the greatest threat to everyone's safety when they're outside.
South Dakota will have a mock tornado drill Wednesday morning. A test watch will be issued at 10 Wednesday morning followed by a test warning at 10:15. Heitkamp says this is when you put your tornado safety plan to the test and see how long it takes you to get to your designated shelter.
The outdoor warning sirens will sound on Wednesday during the test. The mock drill will end at 10:30 a.m.
