This article summarizes Minnesota’s Severe Weather Awareness Week 2026, highlighting daily hazard themes, statewide tornado drills, and the new communication approach introduced by the Storm Prediction Center to help the public understand evolving weather risks.
You’ll find information on where to get updates—KIMT.com, the KIMT Storm Alert Weather App, and guidance from local National Weather Service offices in Minnesota (Twin Cities) or nearby La Crosse, Wisconsin. The year’s focus is on preparedness and how the SPC’s conditional intensity categories fit into the conversation.
Overview of Severe Weather Awareness Week 2026
From April 13 through 17, the week assigns a daily focus to different severe weather hazards across Minnesota. The aim is to raise preparedness and public awareness by delivering reliable, accessible information on how to respond to alerts, warnings, and evolving weather threats.
Daily updates will be shared through trusted outlets. Residents can stay informed as weather conditions change.
Participants can access timely information on KIMT.com and the KIMT Storm Alert Weather App. Additional resources are provided by local National Weather Service offices in the Twin Cities and La Crosse.
The initiative also highlights a new communication approach from the Storm Prediction Center. This approach is designed to clarify risk levels for viewers and readers throughout severe weather season.
Daily Hazard Focus by Day
Here are the daily topics for each weekday during the week:
- Monday: Weather alerts and warnings — how alerts are issued and how to respond promptly.
- Tuesday: Severe storms, lightning, and hail — recognizing hazards and protective actions.
- Wednesday: Floods — staying safe in flood-prone situations and understanding flood watches and warnings.
- Thursday: Tornadoes — planning, sheltering, and drills to practice readiness.
- Friday: Extreme heat — heat safety, hydration, and reducing heat-related risks.
Tornado Drills and Public Safety Messaging
Statewide tornado drills are scheduled for Thursday, April 16, at 1:45 PM and 6:45 PM. The National Weather Service will not issue a “test” Tornado Watch or Warning during these drills.
The purpose is to provide an opportunity for households, schools, and workplaces to practice their tornado safety plans and sheltering routines. This reinforces how to act if a real warning is issued.
New Conditional Intensity Category in Severe Weather Outlooks
The Storm Prediction Center has introduced a new “conditional intensity” category for this year’s severe weather outlooks. This messaging aims to improve communication of evolving hazards by clarifying how conditions may intensify and what actions people should take as the situation changes.
For more details on these categories, readers are encouraged to review the SPC’s official guidance and analyses.
Staying Informed: Resources and Preparedness Tips
Throughout the week, KIMT.com and the KIMT Storm Alert Weather App will serve as central hubs for daily information. Resources from local National Weather Service offices in the Twin Cities and La Crosse will also be available.
Staying connected to these channels helps residents receive timely warnings and forecasts. Preparedness recommendations will be provided as Minnesota faces multiple severe weather threats.
To turn information into action, consider these practical steps:
- Develop a family emergency plan and practice tornado and shelter drills with all household members.
- Build a basic emergency kit with water, non-perishable food, a flashlight, batteries, and a battery-powered radio.
- Identify a safe shelter area in your home and know multiple evacuation routes for flood-prone areas.
- Sign up for local alert systems and ensure your mobile devices can receive push warnings during severe weather events.
- Stay informed daily through KIMT and the NWS updates, especially during the strongest hazard periods.
- Prioritize heat safety on extreme heat days by staying hydrated, limiting outdoor activity, and seeking cool indoor environments when needed.
Here is the source article for this story: Minnesota Severe Weather Awareness Week kicks off Monday next week