Tennessee tornado drill scheduled for Wednesday, February 22

by: Peyton Kennedy

Posted: Feb 22, 2023 / 07:57 AM CST

Updated: Feb 22, 2023 / 08:43 AM CST

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — As Tennessee’s Severe Weather Awareness Week continues, Tennesseans can expect take part in statewide tornado drill Wednesday morning.

The National Weather Service encourages everyone to participate, including school districts and new Tennessee residents who may be unfamiliar with the area’s weather patterns.

“People joke that Mother Nature doesn’t know what weather it is around here, which is very true. You could have snow one day and you could have severe weather a day or two later,” said Faith Borden, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. “We think of spring and fall as our two tornado seasons, but honestly, we have had tornados in every month of the year.”

So far in 2023, 191 (preliminary) tornadoes have touched down nationwide, compared to 41 in January and February of 2022.

Borden said it’s important to know what weather is expected each day and have a plan in place. If you’re home, she encourages you to know where your safe place is, and have an emergency kit ready.

“Figure out where would you go, what would you do, what would you need,” said Borden. “Make sure that not just you, but all of your loved ones and your family know what to do.”

Three tornado warning sirens in Middle Tennessee failed February’s monthly test.

They were repaired & retested on Tuesday by the Nashville Office of Emergency Management’s Outdoor Tornado Warning Siren System vendor CommTech.

The statewide tornado drill is expected to take place on February 22 at 9:30 a.m. CT.

Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.