Severe Weather Awareness Week Kicks Off in Minnesota with Focus on Warnings and Watches

It’s Severe Weather Awareness Week in Minnesota, and state officials are asking residents to brush up on the basics—starting with understanding severe weather alerts.
The focus for Tuesday is on the difference between a watch and a warning:
• A watch means conditions are favorable for dangerous weather like tornadoes, flash flooding, or blizzards. It’s time to stay alert, monitor the skies, and have a plan ready.
• A warning means the threat is imminent or already happening. That’s when it’s time to act—take cover, move to shelter, or evacuate if needed.
For the Lakes Area, these alerts have never been just theoretical.
Here’s why it matters:
• In 1957, a deadly F5 tornado struck just west of us in Fargo, killing 10 people and flattening homes.
• The Super Bowl Blizzard of 1975 dumped snow across the region and created whiteout conditions that stranded thousands.
• And the blizzard of 1966 dropped up to 30 inches of snow in parts of Minnesota with wind chills plummeting below zero.
These historical storms serve as stark reminders of how quickly weather can turn dangerous—and why staying tuned into alerts is so important.
Minnesotans will have a chance to practice this week during two statewide tornado drills on Thursday, April 10:
• 1:45 p.m. for schools, businesses, and organizations
• 6:45 p.m. for families and second-shift workers
Now’s the time to check your weather radio, update your emergency plan, and talk with your family about where you would go in the event of a tornado or other severe storm.
Stay tuned all week as we continue to break down each day’s severe weather preparedness topic. You can find more resources from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety and the National Weather Service at mn.gov.