When severe weather hits the Chicago area, here's what you need to know
CHICAGO (CBS) – It's Severe Weather Preparedness Week in Illinois, and officials want the public to know there are several things they can do to stay safe before bad weather hits.
Possible storms on Monday night come on the heels of the storms that wreaked havoc last week.
A total of 11 tornados touched down in Illinois last Tuesday night, according to the National Weather Service. This week's storms aren't expected to be that bad, but officials still said keeping everyone safe is vital since severe weather can strike at any moment.
"It was an unusual event for late winter," said Eric Lenning, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service Chicago. "But it was very well forecast. It and the warnings also had lots of lead time for people to respond."
Severe weather can include tornados, hail, lightning, wind, and flooding. Last week's storms ripped across the state with tornados leaving damage in Mundelein, Sugar Grove, and Inverness.
This week, the Chicago Office of Emergency Management wants to ensure people know how to stay prepared and what each severe weather alert means.
- A weather "advisory" means to be aware.
- A "watch" means to be prepared to activate their preparedness plan.
- A "warning" means it's time to take action.
However, leading up to those alerts, there are things everyone should be doing to prepare and ensure safety during severe weather.
"So the four phases are plan, practice, monitor, and act," said Lenning. "And all of those phases are very important. So, it's not just enough to start thinking about it when the warning is issued. You have to start thinking about it and have a plan in place well in advance."
He added that while severe weather is most likely to happen in late spring or early summer, "in recent years, we've seen it even in the wintertime. So people have to be prepared year-round."
On Wednesday, there will be a statewide tornado drill at 11 a.m.
Residents can also download the Chicago Office of Emergency Management app to be in the know. The app includes guides, alerts, and even emergency notifications.
