Emergency managers urge planning during Severe Weather Awareness Week

BEATRICE, NE — Thunderstorms, hail and tornadoes are all hazards associated with severe weather season in Nebraska.

Severe weather can strike at any point in the Cornhusker State, but thunderstorms and tornadoes are most likely in the spring and early summer months. In preparation, emergency managers, like John McKee, are using this week to urge readiness.

“We are in the season. They pick this week usually to get everybody prepared because we hit May and June… both those months can peak one or the other higher, but that’s usually our time it’s the worst,” McKee, the Emergency Manager for Jefferson and Saline Counties, said.

The National Weather Service is issuing a mock tornado warning Wednesday around 11:00. It will come across weather radios, commercial radio stations, cell phones and outdoor warning sirens. McKee encourages people to use the test as a chance to review a safety plan.

“If you’re all together, you can make a plan at home for where you’re going to go, where’s your shelter at, where’s your safest place," McKee said. "What are you going to do if you’re out traveling… what if you were to spot a tornado? Just have that plan, get a kit in place in your basement.”

The NWS issues both watches and warnings. Watches mean severe weather could happen and warnings mean severe weather is happening now.

McKee says not to wait to react until there’s a warning, especially if you live far from an NWS radar station.

“Sometimes they get rotation below what they’re seeing, so they don’t always see that rotation," McKee said. "We rely on spotters on the ground, but a lot of times we’ll get tornadoes before we get a chance to get spotters out because of the information and the conditions.”

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