March 2-6, 2026 is Severe Weather Awareness Week

As the St. Louis area transitions into spring, the City of St. Louis Emergency Management Agency encourages residents to prepare for severe storms and tornadoes by participating in Severe Weather Awareness Week, March 2 and March 6, 2026.

This year’s observance follows the deadliest year for tornadoes in Missouri in 14 years, including the fatal May 16th, 2025, storm, where an EF-3 tornado destroyed parts of central and north St. Louis.

Each day of Severe Weather Awareness Week will focus on weather safety in various topics.

• Monday: Receiving Weather Information
• Tuesday: Lightning Safety
• Wednesday: Tornado Safety
• Thursday: Hail/Wind Safety
• Friday: Flood Safety

There are many ways to participate in Severe Weather Awareness Week, including checking your emergency kit or starting one to be ready for the next severe weather event. Two scheduled events are:

• Wednesday, March 4 @ 11 a.m. - Statewide Tornado Drill (CANCELLED)
  The statewide drill offers Missouri residents an additional opportunity to practice their plan(s) in the event of a life-threatening severe weather event, such as a tornado. The National Weather Service will issue a Routine Weekly Test (RWT) to NOAA Weather Radios.
• Thursday, March 5 @ 6:30 p.m. - National Weather Service Storm Spotter Class
  The National Weather Service in St. Louis, in collaboration with the City of St. Louis Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) and St. Louis Community College, will offer its annual Storm Spotter Class on March 5, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. at the William J. Harrison Center, located at 3140 Cass Ave. St. Louis, MO 63106. The class covers how to identify hazardous weather and report it to the National Weather Service, which uses these reports to alert the city and its residents to dangerous conditions. Additional details are available at Preparing for the Next Storm.

Residents are encouraged to have multiple ways to stay informed about when severe weather occurs in the City of St. Louis. Using a weather radio to receive alerts directly from the National Weather Service and signing up for the City’s NotifySTL alert system at stlouis-mo.gov/notifystl can help residents feel more confident in their preparedness and safety during storms.

Additional resources: 

• City Emergency Management Agency website
• National Weather Service St. Louis office
• Ready.gov
• Missouri State Emergency Management Agency