Getting over winter's snow yet bracing for spring severe weather, March is a pivotal month for natural disasters. State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) designates March as Disaster Preparedness Month and the National Weather Service (NWS) set March 13-17,2000 as Missouri Severe Weather Awareness Week.

The statewide severe weather drill will be Tuesday, March 14 at 1:30 p.m. It will be canceled only if there is extremely bad weather statewide. The backup date will be Thursday, March 16, at 1:30 p.m. The NWS will send out the severe weather drill under the EAS code of RMT (Required Monthly Test).

In the western part of Missouri, the Pleasant Hill Weather Forecasting Office (WFO) will hold an additional evening drill at 6:30 p.m. on March 14. This second drill will give families a chance to practice their tornado safety plan following the evening weather report.

Also on March 14, the St. Louis WFO will conduct an amateur radio Tornado Drill for the St. Louis County Warning Area from about 6:30 p.m. until 8 p.m.

The 75th anniversary of the Tri-State Tornado will occur on March 18. The Paducah WFO is planning activities to commemorate the event. Since it started in Missouri, SEMA Director Jerry B. Uhlmann will be participating in a special ceremony with his counterparts from Illinois and Indiana.

The March 18, 1925 tornado was the deadliest in U.S. history, as twin tunnels cut a path of destruction accross the three states.