Tornado Drill Scheduled For Tuesday Morning

A statewide tornado drill has been scheduled for Tuesday morning in South Carolina.

The drill, which will happen at 9 a.m., is part of Severe Weather Awareness Week sponsored by the South Carolina Emergency Management Division and the National Weather Service.

Organizers say that Tuesday's drill is a good time for community members to test their tornado plan.

What's the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning? Emergency management officials said during a watch that weather conditions are such that tornadoes are likely to develop. A tornado warning is issued when a tornado has been sighted or indicated by radar.

When a tornado watch is issued, you should:

• Listen to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio or television for the latest information.
• Be alert for approaching storms.
• Be ready to take shelter.

 When a tornado warning is issued, you should:

• Take shelter immediately in a house or small building. If there is no basement, go to an interior room on the lower level.
• Get under a sturdy table and cover your head. Stay there until the danger has passed.
• In a vehicle, trailer or mobile home, get out immediately and go to a more substantial structure. If there is no shelter nearby, lie flat in the nearest ditch and cover your head. Do not attempt to outdrive a tornado.