National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Regional Outbreaks of Severe Weather Through Early Next Week; Early Season Heat Wave across the South

Active spring pattern across the center of our nation with several episodes of severe weather and heavy rainfall expected into next week. The potential for very large hail, long track tornadoes, severe wind gusts, frequent cloud to ground lightning strikes and flash flooding are in the outlook. Furthermore, dangerous early season heat wave continues for the Gulf Coast states into early next week. Read More >

[NOAA logo] Maryland [MEMA seal]
Severe Storms Awareness Week

April 8 - 14, 2012

For a 1 page flyer (front/back) on MD Severe Weather Awareness week, click here!

NOAA's National Weather Service and the Maryland Emergency Management Agency are teaming up for Maryland Severe Storms Awareness Week! Governor O'Malley has issued a Proclaimation that the week of April 8-14, 2012 will be Severe Storms Awareness Week for the state of Maryland. The week will feature a number of events to heighten everyones' understanding of severe weather in Maryland.


Maryland's Statewide Tornado Drill
Wednesday, April 11th at 9:45am!

A tornado drill alert will be sent over NOAA Weather Radio at 9:45am on Wednesday April 11th with an Emergency Alert System (EAS) tone burst attached. The EAS burst will be encoded as a Routine Weekly Test (RWT) code. This test code will not alert on some brands of weather radios, so it will be best to be listening to the broadcast at 9:45 am for the drill message.

The all-clear message will follow on NOAA Weather Radio fifteen minutes later at 10:00am. All Maryland schools will be strongly encouraged to participate in this exercise and test their tornado emergency plan.

Anyone who would like to participate with their school, business, family, or on their own can activate their emergency plan for what they would do given an actual tornado warning. Plans can readily be developed using the www.ready.gov website.

Of course, as a general rule, the most important thing to remember is to head to the lowest small interior room where you are - away from windows.

Need help developing a plan for your school? Click Here.


Each day will feature a specific warm season severe weather event.

Monday: Flooding
Tuesday: Damaging Winds
Wednesday: Tornadoes
Thursday: Hail
Friday: Lightning

A 1 page flyer (front/back) enumerating the threats and actions to take can be found here!