DES MOINES Governor Terry E. Branstad has proclaimed March 21-25, 2016, as Severe Weather Awareness Week in Iowa.

The Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEMD), the National Weather Service (NWS), and Iowa’s local emergency managers have again joined together to promote severe weather awareness and family preparedness.

This is also a good time of year to review with your families and workplaces a plan for severe weather. Reviewing locations for shelter during warnings and re-unification locations for your home and work if you get separated. Also making sure you have a kit put together for severe weather and place a kit in your shelter locations.

For each day during Severe Weather Awareness Week, a different subject will be featured:

Monday Severe thunderstorms

Tuesday Weather warnings

Wednesday Tornadoes

Thursday Family preparedness

Friday Flash floods

The annual tornado drill will take place on Wednesday, March 23, at approximately 10 a.m. Schools, businesses, state and local governments, and individuals are strongly encouraged to participate in the drill. Additional information about the tornado drill can be found on local NWS websites.

Grundy County will be participating in the Tornado Drill and outdoor warning devices will be activated for testing during this time period.

If there is bad weather on March 23rd the alternate Tornado Drill date is March 24th.

For more information on severe weather preparedness, visit www.beready.iowa.gov