Stafford, Va. Governor Terry McAuliffe has proclaimed Tuesday, March 11, 2014 as Tornado Preparedness Day in Virginia. At 9:45 am that day, the National Weather Service will conduct a statewide tornado drill. All NWS offices serving Virginia will issue Drill Tornado messages at that time. The purpose of this drill is to provide schools, businesses and residents of the Commonwealth the opportunity to activate and test their emergency plans for tornados.

The Virginia Tornado Drill will utilize a test tornado warning, just as it did in 2013. All National Weather Offices will issue this test tornado warning under the standard tornado product. NOAA Weather radio will transmit the test warning as it would normally for a real tornado event. The Emergency Alert System (EAS) will also be activated as if the drill were an actual tornado warning. The text will clearly indicate that it is a test and not an actual tornado warning. Anyone receiving the tornado drill via NOAA Weather Radio, the EAS System or by commercial radio or television will be able to know that the activation is for tornado drill purposes.

Should severe weather actually threaten Virginia on March 11 the Tornado Drill will be postponed until Thursday, March 13 at 9:45 am.