Severe Weather Awareness Week begins today for Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota and South Dakota .

This is the List of topics for the week:

• Day 1: Thunderstorms, Hail, Straight-Line Winds, Lightning
• Day 2: Severe Weather Warnings
• Day 3: Floods, Flash Floods
• Day 4: Tornadoes
• Day 5: Heat

Here's more information on the Day 1 topic:

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/mpx/?n=swawpns1

Information on Minnesota Tornado History and Statistics:

http://climate.umn.edu/doc/historical/tornadic.htm


*Thursday, April 23rd - Minnesota and Wisconsin will be conducting statewide tornado drills (with the exception of far NW Minnesota because of flooding concerns)

This is from the Twin Cities National Weather Service:
"Tornado Watch/Warning Drills

The National Weather Service, Wisconsin Emergency Management, the Minnesota Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, and other state, county and local agencies have come together to host Severe Weather Awareness Week activities. On Thursday, April 23rd, simulated tornado watches and warnings will be issued to test the statewide warning and communications systems. The schedule for April 23rd is as follows:

(all times CDT)

9:00 AM: The National Weather Service will issue a simulated tornado watch for Minnesota (except the northwest portion of the state).

1:00 PM: The National Weather Service will issue a simulated tornado watch for Wisconsin.

1:40 PM: The National Weather Service will issue a simulated tornado warning for 9 counties of western Wisconsin (Barron, Chippewa, Dunn, Eau Claire, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Rusk and St Croix). Note that most cities and counties will activate outdoor warning siren systems.

1:45 PM: The National Weather Service will issue a simulated tornado warning for Minnesota counties (except those in the northwestern part of the state). Note that most cities and counties will activate outdoor warning siren systems.

2:00 PM: The National Weather Service will issue an "End of Test" message using the Severe Weather Statement product. It should be stated that outdoor warning sirens will not be sounded again for this all clear, nor will there be any warning tone on NOAA Weather Radio.

6:55 PM: Another simulated tornado warning will be issued for participating counties in Minnesota. Those counties are: Anoka, Benton, Big Stone, Brown, Carver, Cass, Chippewa, Chisago, Cottonwood, Crow Wing, Dakota, Douglas, Freeborn, Goodhue, Hennepin, Isanti, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Lac Qui Parle, Lake, Le Sueur, Lyon, Martin, Mc Leod, Meeker, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Mower, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Olmsted, Pine, Pipestone, Pope, Ramsey, Redwood, Renville, Rice, Rock, Scott, Sherburne, Stearns, Steele, Stevens, Swift, Todd, Traverse, Wabasha, Waseca, Washington, Watonwan, Winona and Wright.

A graphic of the counties participating in the evening drill is available at http://www.severeweather.state.mn.us/Documents/Participating_Counties_Drill_Map_2009.pdf

The 6:55 PM warning will be issued by five of the National Weather Service offices that serve Minnesota. It will be issued as a test of family preparedness in the home and for second shift workers."