(Spirit Lake)– With 60 and 70 degree temperatures in the forecast, you could say spring has sprung in the region. Along with that comes the potential for severe weather. To get ready, this week (March 28th through April 1st) has been designated Severe Weather Awareness Week in Iowa.
Mike Ehret, Dickinson County Emergency Management Coordinator, urges anyone who doesn’t have a severe weather preparedness plan already in place to get one put together this week.
Ehret says a statewide tornado drill will be held Wednesday, March 30th beginning with a mock tornado watch at 10:00 a.m. which will be followed by a mock warning. The drill will end at about 10:30 a.m. Individuals, schools, businesses and industries are highly urged to participate.
Several Dickinson county communities have received a storm ready designation from the National Weather Service in Sioux Falls. They include Spirit Lake, Okoboji, Arnolds Park, Milford, Wahpeton, Terril and the unincorporated area of the county. They received the certification, in part, for upgrading outdoor warning systems.
A storm spotter class presented by Todd Heitkamp, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sioux Falls, will be held Tuesday, April 12th at 7:00 p.m. at the Dickinson County Expo Building on the fairgrounds in Spirit Lake. The class is free and pre-registration isn’t necessary. It’s open to whoever’s interested in learning more about severe weather.
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