By Katie Knapp
Omaha, NE – This week is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Nebraska and Iowa. The National Weather Service sets aside the week to educate the public about safety during inclement weather.
As part of Severe Weather Awareness Week, the National Weather Service Omaha office will conduct a tornado drill Wednesday. The drill is an opportunity for schools, businesses, and government agencies to review their procedures during severe weather and practice what to do when a tornado strikes.
NWS Omaha meteorologist Kathy Zapotocny says it's important for the public to know the difference between a weather watch and a weather warning. She says a watch means conditions are favorable for the development of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. A warning means severe weather has either been indicated by radar or sighted by a trained weather spotter.
Zapotocny says the peak months for tornadoes in Nebraska and Iowa are May and June. However, she says it varies every year, and last year the most tornadoes in Nebraska happened in March.