Governor George Pataki has proclaimed the week of March 18 th through 24 th as Weather Hazards Awareness Week in the Empire State. A test Tornado Warning will be issued statewide at that time. This will give all New Yorkers, from emergency responders to the general public, the opportunity to see if they are able to receive vital information on potential weather hazards. The drill also gives National Weather Service forecasters the chance to test their ability to communicate information on those hazards quickly.
Tornadoes are an awesome display of nature's power.
Although they are most common in the Midwest and Great Plains, tornadoes do occur in New York as well. Just two days later, a tornado destroyed or damaged several mobile homes and barns in Wyoming County. Fortunately, there were no injuries. However, it could have been much worse if a family did not evacuate their mobile home for a nearby basement minutes before their home was demolished. The primary mission of the National Weather Service is to protect lives from hazardous weather.