Severe Weather Awareness Week Begins

ST. PAUL  (AP) - Minnesotans will get ready for storm season with Severe Weather Awareness Week starting Monday.

The state has conducted Severe Weather Awareness Week for more than 25 years, in partnership with the National Weather Service and local governments.

The week includes a statewide tornado drill Thursday. Minnesota will conduct two tornado drills that day. The first drill is statewide at 1:45 p.m. That one allows schools, businesses and hospitals to practice their emergency plans. The second drill is at 6:55 p.m. in participating counties. That's to allow families and second-shift workers to also practice their plans.

Other subjects for the week include severe storms, lightning and winds on Monday, weather alerts and warnings on Tuesday, floods and flash floods on Wednesday, and heat waves on Friday.

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