KIRKSVILLE, MO -- It may be hard to believe, but severe weather season is right around the corner.  That’s why the National Weather Service is teaming up with the State Emergency Management Agency to help kick off Severe Weather Awareness Week in Missouri.  The program runs from March 7 through March 11 and is designed to teach kids, as well as adults about how to prepare yourself in the event that severe weather strikes.

Each day of the week will be represented with a different theme. 

To start things out, Monday is Preparedness Day.  It teaches how to identify severe and hazardous weather as well as how to prepare for them well in advance. 

Tuesday marks Tornado Safety Day.  Students will learn about how a tornado forms as well as different ways to categorize a tornado and the difference between a tornado watch and tornado warning.  Incorporated into the day will be a statewide tornado drill.  Due to inclement weather, the statewide tornado drill has been postponed until Thursday, March 10, at 1:30 p.m.

Wednesday is Flash Flood Safety Day.

Thursday marks Severe Thunderstorm Day.

Friday wraps up the Severe Weather Awareness Week with NOAA Weather Radio Day.

Did you know that there have been 1933 tornados in the State of Missouri between 1950 and 2010?  That means there has been an average of 32 tornados in each of the past 60 years!