As spring approaches, North Carolina is highlighting the need for preparedness against severe weather, including thunderstorms, lightning, flash flooding, and tornadoes. The state has designated March 1-7, 2026 as Severe Weather Preparedness Week to encourage residents to update their emergency plans and supply kits.
A statewide tornado drill is scheduled for Wednesday, March 4th at 9:30 a.m., with participation from government agencies, businesses, and schools. Organizers recommend that people practice seeking shelter on the lowest floor of their building and away from windows during the drill. “Practicing now will allow you to respond quickly when severe weather heads your way,” officials said.
Residents are urged to take steps such as developing a family emergency plan, assembling an emergency supplies kit with food and water for three days, staying alert through NOAA radio broadcasts, and practicing their safety plans. More information can be found at ReadyNC.gov.
Thunderstorms occur in North Carolina about 40 to 50 days per year. About 10 percent of these storms are classified as severe—meaning they may produce hail at least one inch in diameter, winds of 58 miles per hour or stronger, or tornadoes. Thunderstorms can cause strong winds that turn loose objects into projectiles and create dangerous conditions. Officials advise trimming trees and securing items outdoors.
Tornadoes are described as violent storms capable of causing fatalities and significant damage within seconds. They can have wind speeds up to 300 miles per hour and damage paths more than a mile wide and dozens of miles long.
Receiving timely alerts is critical during severe weather season. Methods include NOAA Weather Radio (NWR), Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) sent directly to mobile devices without requiring an app or subscription, cell phone apps providing real-time warnings from the National Weather Service (NWS), the Emergency Alert System (EAS) on TV and radio stations, and local notification systems such as Wayne County’s CodeRed service (www.waynegov.com/codered).
When under a tornado warning or if a tornado is seen approaching, immediate action is necessary:
“If you are in a home or small business:
Go to the basement or a small interior room such as a closet, bathroom or interior hallway without windows on the lowest level. Put as many walls between yourself and the outside as possible. If possible, get under something sturdy… Most injuries associated with high winds are from flying debris… protect your head.”
For those in large buildings like schools or factories: “Go to the designated shelter area… Stay away from structurally weaker portions of buildings…”
If in a mobile home: “Get out and take shelter in a sturdy building…” If no shelter is available outdoors: “Immediately get into a vehicle… try to drive to the closest sturdy shelter…”
Officials note that hailstones can reach softball size and fall faster than 100 mph; straight-line winds can topple trees onto vehicles or homes.
Lightning strikes across the U.S. approximately 25 million times each year; indoor shelter is safest during storms. Authorities stress that all thunderstorms carry lightning risk—even if rain has ended—and that “if you can hear thunder, you are in danger.” For more safety guidance visit https://www.weather.gov/safety/lightning.
Flash flooding often results from heavy rainfall over short periods; it poses greater risk of death annually than tornadoes or hurricanes due to its sudden onset especially in low-lying areas or cities with poor drainage.
Key flash flood safety advice includes:
“If a flash flood warning is issued for your area… move immediately to higher ground.”
“Do not walk through moving water…”
“Do not drive into flooded areas…”
The week concludes by encouraging families to pledge preparedness by making an emergency plan before disaster strikes. This involves planning safe meeting places, communication methods if separated during an event, understanding local risks specific to one’s area—such as knowing where shelters are located—and staying informed through multiple alert sources.
Wayne County also faces challenges related to student readiness for college-level coursework according to ACT test data from recent years: In the 2022-23 school year among Wayne County school districts,
– Only about 14% of senior students were considered ready for college-level science (https://www.dpi.nc.gov/).
– Among juniors taking science ACTs during this period just over 13% met college readiness standards (https://www.dpi.nc.gov/).
– In reading portions of the ACT exam roughly 23% of seniors demonstrated college readiness while about 20% of juniors did so (https://www.dpi.nc.gov/).
– For math sections only around 14% of seniors reached college-ready scores; among juniors it was just above 12% (https://www.dpi.nc.gov/).
More resources on family preparedness can be found at https://www.ready.gov/plan and readync.org.
