In conjunction with Severe Weather Awareness Week, Ames and Iowa State will participate in a statewide tornado drill Thursday morning.

Iowa State’s outdoor warning sirens will be set off at 10:15 a.m. Thursday by Ames police. A message will follow the sirens that residents would hear during a real warning: “This is a tornado warning; please seek shelter immediately.”

The National Weather Service will conduct drills throughout Iowa from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Test tornado watches and warnings will be issued throughout the 30-minute window.

The drill was originally set for Wednesday, but was postponed by the NWS because of predicted weather.

Anyone listening to AM/FM radio or watching television can also expect the test drills to interrupt programming.

Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad has proclaimed March 21-25 as Severe Weather Awareness Week. The annual week that seeks to inform Iowans on a different type of severe weather each day is a joint effort among the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEMD), the National Weather Service and local emergency managers.

Monday’s subject was severe thunderstorms. Tuesday will be weather warnings; Wednesday will be tornadoes; Thursday will be family preparedness; and Friday will be flash floods.