By DJ Kayser, filling in for Douglas:
We’re in the middle of Severe Weather Awareness Week, and the topic for Thursday is tornadoes. That means you’ll hear the tornado sirens at 1:45 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. Thursday in both Minnesota and Wisconsin, marking the time that you should practice your safety plans.
At home, the safest place is a basement or a small interior room on the lowest floor. In an apartment, business, or school, the safest place is an innermost room on the lower level or a predesignated shelter.
According to the Storm Prediction Center, the United States averaged 1,230 tornadoes a year between 1994 and 2023. As of April 8, 492 tornadoes have occurred nationwide this year. For Minnesota, the state’s Climatology Office reports an annual average of 46 tornadoes, with 30 tornadoes statewide in 2024. Wisconsin averages 23 tornadoes per year, with 45 documented in 2024.
Some light rain could fall Thursday, with another round Saturday night into Sunday. Otherwise, highs climb well above normal heading into the weekend, with low 70s on Sunday.
