<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">For severe damaging winds, in the majority of cases, the safest place during is indoors and away from windows. When we issue a severe thunderstorm warning, at a minimum, it&#39;s due to 60+mph wind and/or Hail &gt;= 1.00.&quot; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SeverePreparednessWeek2021?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SeverePreparednessWeek2021</a> <a href="https://t.co/2pPFFCn2HL">pic.twitter.com/2pPFFCn2HL</a>&mdash; NWS Kansas City (@NWSKansasCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSKansasCity/status/1367549716687294464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2021</a></blockquote>
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</div>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThis past week was Severe Weather Awareness Week for the state of Missouri, as the weather warms up and the severe weather season draws closer.Tornado siren drills were conducted this week across the area, including one in St. Joseph on Tuesday morning.National Weather Service meteorologist Brett Williams from the Pleasant Hill office says severe weather preparedness doesn't end with this week, but it serves as a good reminder to prepare for extreme weather."It's just a good refresher for the public to be aware of the different severe weather hazards," Williams said, "and how best to make sure they have a plan in place so they know what to do whenever severe weather threatens them or their family."Williams says having a NOAA weather radio with fresh batteries on hand, along with a tornado warning preparedness plan, is a good place to start."Be aware and kind of pay attention to the forecast," he says. "If you know that severe weather is possible on that day, make sure you have heightened awareness and are kind of keeping tabs on things."Williams says it's also best to get below ground during a severe storm if at all possible.A drier and warmer-than-normal weather pattern recently has led to lower amounts of runoff and reduced flooding risk along the Missouri River this spring - a welcome site after 2019's catastrophic floods.Williams says there's no evidence to suggest a more active than normal severe weather season in 2021."We are warmer than normal, but weather should be pretty calm for the next several days."A chance of rain enters the forecast by Wednesday and Thursday of next week, but severe weather is not anticipated.

Severe Weather Awareness Week concludes Friday, severe weather season starting soon