Missouri tornado drill canceled around Kansas City due to ‘gusty winds and blowing snow’
People in the Kansas City area will no longer go to their tornado shelters at work and school for a statewide tornado drill that was scheduled for 11 a.m. on Wednesday, March 5.
The scheduled tornado drill was canceled because of “ongoing strong and gusty winds and blowing snow,” according to a Wednesday morning social media post from the National Weather Service in Kansas City.
The Missouri State Emergency Management Agency said on X that the drill might still happen in other communities who have not opted out of the test.
On Tuesday, Chris Bowman, senior meteorologist with the NWS, said in an email that the drill could be canceled “if we have an outlook for severe thunderstorms or if severe thunderstorms are ongoing” or by the discretion of department leadership.
The goal of the tornado drill is for people to practice their weather emergency plans, according to Missouri’s StormAware website. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people take cover to a basement or windowless room if they are in the path of a tornado.
Local governments can decide to opt out of the tornado drill. The Kansas City Emergency Management Facebook page often provides updates on if sirens will go off in Kansas City. Kansas Citians can also sign up for emergency alerts.
Johnson County tested their emergency text system Tuesday morning.
The Star’s Robert Cronkleton contributed to this report.
Have more questions about weather in the Kansas City area? Ask the Service Journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com.
This story was originally published March 4, 2025 at 3:58 PM.
