NATCHEZ — The National Weather Service will conduct a Severe Weather Awareness Day on Wednesday for the state of Mississippi. The purpose of this day is to call attention to the secondary peak severe weather season that begins in the late fall. November historically has been a very active month for severe weather and tornadoes.

The National Weather Service will conduct a tornado drill Wednesday through NOAA Weather Radio All-Hazards. The best way to learn what to do when severe weather approaches is to practice when the weather is not threatening.

The Natchez-Adams County Emergency Management Agency will also be participating by activating and testing of our severe weather notification systems. At approximately 9:15 Wednesday morning, we will be activating the tornado warning sirens that are placed in Natchez and Adams County. This will be followed by activation of our Tone Alert Receivers with a test message and using our other notification systems.

Tornadoes have affected not only the local area, but Mississippi.

Nov. 21-22, 1992 — Large tornado outbreak, 14 total tornadoes with one long track F4 (128 miles), fifth longest. This tornado is more widely known as the Brandon tornado. A total of 12 fatalities occurred during that horrific night.

Nov. 24, 2001 — Large tornado outbreak, 14 total tornadoes, two F4s and two F3s. One of the F4s was the Fairfield tornado. A total of seven fatalities occurred across the region that early morning

Nov. 10-11, 2002 — Veterans Day Outbreak, Mississippi was on the southern end of the event but still had seven total tornadoes

Nov. 18, 2003 — A squall line moved across the region producing widespread wind damage

Nov. 24, 2004 Nov. 24, 2004 — Large tornado outbreak, 21 total tornadoes, one fatality

Nov. 15, 2006 — Tornado event across southeast Mississippi, two F3s

Even Hurricane Gustav showed us a tornado or two as close as Bude, Mark Thornton, Franklin County’s Emergency Management director witnessed these twisters himself.

Lets not forget the Miss-Lou is still standing at second place in loss of lives due to a tornado with the May 7, 1840, tornado that blew northeast through Concordia Parish into Natchez and claimed at least 317 deaths and 109 injured.