To increase awareness and promote preparedness for severe weather hazards, the Carbondale Office of Emergency Management is participating in the statewide Tornado Drill on Tuesday, March 1, 2022, at 10:00 a.m.
A tornado is a violently rotating column of air extending from a thunderstorm to the ground. Tornadoes can be almost invisible, marked only by swirling debris at the base of the funnel. Some are composed of several mini-funnels. The damage from a tornado is a result of the high wind speeds and wind-blown debris. Tornado season is generally March through May in Illinois, although tornadoes can and do occur at any time of the year. They tend to occur in the afternoons and evenings with 50% occurring between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Illinois averages 64 tornadoes per year. Illinois has experienced two of the worst tornadoes in the nation’s history, one of them the infamous Tri-State tornado of March 18, 1925, with 695 dead, 2000 injured, and $130 million in property damage.
For additional severe weather preparedness information, view our Severe Weather Preparedness (PDF), contact the Carbondale Office of Emergency Management at 618-457-3245, or visit the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) website at www.Ready.Illinois.gov for a detailed Severe Weather Preparedness Guide.