NWS: Statewide tornado drill scheduled for Thursday postponed until Friday, April 12

MILWAUKEE -- A statewide tornado drill originally scheduled for Thursday, April 11 was postponed until Friday, April 12, National Weather Service officials announced Wednesday.

This is due to the threat of inclement weather on Thursday. According to Wisconsin Emergency Management officials, after consulting with the National Weather Service and Wisconsin Broadcasters Association, a decision was made to postpone the drill to prevent any confusion that may occur if the NWS needed to issue any real warnings for severe weather threats.

Friday’s schedule for the drill will remain the same, with a mock tornado watch issued at 1 p.m., followed by a statewide mock tornado warning at 1:45 p.m. and a second mock tornado warning at 6:45 p.m. 

The decision only effects the test alerts that will be sent out over NOAA Weather Radios and through participating TV and radio stations around the state. Schools and businesses who had planned to participate in the drill on Thursday are welcome to keep those plans in place.

While the severe weather threat is expected to pass after Thursday, Wisconsin Emergency Management officials said they and their partners would continue to monitor conditions and evaluate Friday’s plans. If the threat of tornadoes or severe thunderstorms persists into Friday, the drill could be cancelled. In that event, a makeup date would not be scheduled.

The drill is part of Wisconsin's Tornado and Severe Weather Awareness Week.