000
NOUS41 KRNK 081644
PNSRNK
VAZ007-009>020-022>024-032>035-043>047-058-059-090000-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
1144 AM EST TUE MAR 8 2011

...VIRGINIA TORNADO PREPAREDNESS DAY - MARCH 15, 2011...
...VIRGINIA TORNADO DRILL AT 945 AM MARCH 15, 2011...

GOVERNOR BOB MCDONNELL HAS PROCLAIMED TUESDAY MARCH 15TH, 2011
AS TORNADO PREPAREDNESS DAY IN VIRGINIA. AT 945 AM THAT DAY...THE 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILL CONDUCT A STATEWIDE TORNADO DRILL.
ALL NWS OFFICES SERVING VIRGINIA WILL ISSUE DRILL TORNADO MESSAGES
AT THAT TIME. THE PURPOSE OF THIS DRILL IS TO PROVIDE
SCHOOLS...BUSINESS AND RESIDENTS OF THE COMMONWEALTH WITH THE
OPPORTUNITY TO ACTIVATE AND TEST THEIR EMERGENCY PLANS FOR
TORNADOES. SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER THREATEN VIRGINIA ON MARCH
15TH...THE TORNADO DRILL WILL BE POSTPONED UNTIL 945 AM WEDNESDAY
MARCH 16TH.

FOR THE FIRST TIME...THE VIRGINIA TORNADO DRILL WILL UTILIZE A
TEST TORNADO WARNING...NOT A REQUIRED MONTHLY TEST (RMT). ALL
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICES WILL ISSUE THIS TEST TORNADO
WARNING UNDER THE STANDARD TORNADO WARNING PRODUCT PIL (WBCTORRNK).
NOAA WEATHER RADIO WILL TRANSMIT THE TEST WARNING AS IT NORMALLY
WOULD FOR A REAL TORNADO EVENT. THE EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM WILL
ALSO BE ACTIVATED AS IF THE DRILL WERE AN ACTUAL TORNADO WARNING.
HOWEVER...THE TEXT WILL CLEARLY INDICATE THAT IT IS A TEST...AND
NOT AN ACTUAL TORNADO WARNING. THEREFORE...ANYONE RECEIVING THE
TORNADO DRILL VIA NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR COMMERCIAL RADIO AND
TELEVISION...WILL BE ABLE TO KNOW THAT THE ACTIVATION IS FOR
TORNADO DRILL PURPOSES.

IF SEVERE WEATHER IS ANTICIPATED...OR IS OCCURRING ON TUESDAY
MARCH 15TH...THE TORNADO DRILL WILL BE POSTPONED UNTIL WEDNESDAY
MARCH 16TH AT 945 AM.

$$