Severe weather is being highlighted across Kansas this week. This week is severe weather awareness week. It is a week where citizens are urged to become educated about severe weather, and about what to do when it threatens.

According to the National Weather Service, the 2018 severe weather was pretty active statewide. Highlights include:

• 97 Reports of Severe Wind, Hail, Flooding
• 20 Tornadoes. Kansas averages 18.82 tornadoes a year.

The strongest tornado, a damaging EF3, touched down in Greenwood County on June 26th. The strongest straight-line wind, was recorded at 87 miles-per-hour in Rice County on July 29th. The largest hailstone, measured at 4 inches, fell in Barton County on May 1st.

The National Weather Service in Topeka will conduct a tornado drill at 10am Tuesday. Everyone is encouraged to participate in the drill by practicing seeking secure, safe shelter from a tornado. This test will be broadcast over NOAA All Hazards Weather Radio and many local television and radio stations. Local officials may also sound their warning sirens. Area residents, businesses, and schools are urged to treat the drill as if it were an actual tornado warning.