The old saying goes, “April showers bring May flowers.”

But, here in Mississippi, we already have seen the showers and smelled some flowers. So that means tornadic weather is not far behind.

While severe weather hits North Mississippi year-round, spring is especially likely to see thunderstorms epic enough to produce tornadoes.

National Weather Service in Memphis has scheduled a Spring Partners Workshop April 7 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Memphis. The entity has invited its media and emergency responder professionals who need to know more about what the season will bring and those who will better serve the region by networking with one another and learning.

The agenda includes a review of December storms, a climate and flood outlook for spring, damage surveys (what NWS does and how we can help) and some breakout sessions. Those sessions include demonstrations of items important to the Integrated Warning System, setting up a social media program, a severe weather exercise scenario and a refresher on radar. 

NWS offers this training as well as regularly offers informational sessions on how to become a storm spotter. The more we as residents know about what to expect with the weather and how to decipher what’s literally on the horizon, the better we will be prepared when the disaster does strike. Use this time before our spring showers hit to get a refresher on all things weather.