Severe Summer Awareness Week: April 22-26

April 22-26 is Severe Summer Weather Awareness Week in North Dakota.

The annual Statewide Tornado Drill is set for Wednesday, April 24 at 11 a.m. All across the state, including in New Rockford and Sheyenne, sirens will sound to remind residents to make a plan and seek shelter when the threat of a tornado looms.

"The number of tornadoes that North Dakota has each year varies widely, from as few as two to as many as 61 in 1999. Going back to 1950, the average number of tornadoes in the state is 23," says JP Martin of the National Weather Service Bismarck Office. "It doesn't matter if there are only a handful of tornadoes or dozens of them in a given year, what matters is that you are prepared and act quickly, just in case you're in the path of one of them."

"In N.D., it's as important to prepare for summer weather as it is to prepare for winter weather. Extreme heat, summer storms and other summer related weather events all carry a degree of risk, but you can mitigate those risks," says Debbie LaCombe, Preparedness Chief with the North Dakota Department of Emergency Services.

Beyond tornadoes, this year the Transcript's educational focus is on severe thunderstorms.

A severe thunderstorm is a thunderstorm capable of producing:

• Wind gusts of 58 mph or greater and/or

• Hail of one inch in diameter or larger

In addition to damaging winds and large hail, severe thunderstorms are also capable of producing tornadoes, flash flooding and deadly lightning.

Severe Thunderstorm Safety Tips

• Stay away from windows!! Flying debris and wind-driven hail can break windows sending shards of glass through the air.

• If camping, leave your camper/RV or tent and seek shelter inside a sturdy building

• Those in mobile homes should go to their designated storm shelter. Destructive straight-line winds are capable of causing significant damage to mobile homes.

• Stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio or your favorite media outlet for frequent weather updates.