MARSHALL — All kinds of events have been postponed or canceled because of the coronavirus. One of them is the statewide tornado siren drill that was supposed to happen on Thursday.

But while the sirens won’t be going off, people should still take some time to participate in Severe Weather Awareness Week, said Lyon County Emergency Manager Dan DeSmet.

“I’m encouraging folks to practice their plan for severe weather,” DeSmet said. Even though Minnesota is faced with a very different kind of emergency right now, it’s important not to overlook the weather hazards that often come in the spring and summer, he said.

Severe Weather Awareness Week is April 13-17. Each day this week focuses on planning for different kinds of severe weather, from lightning and hailstorms to flooding, tornadoes and extreme heat. However, this year the National Weather Service will not be holding a statewide tornado drill due to the COVID-19 pandemic. DeSmet said Lyon County will be following the NWS’s lead and not having local drills.

But although there won’t be community drills, DeSmet said, “Make sure you practice and get a plan together.” In some ways, Minnesota’s current stay-at-home order offers a chance to get families together to talk about what to do in case of a tornado or severe storm, he said. “Students are at home right now. Families are together.”

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety recommends families talk with each other about where they would go and what they would do during a weather disaster — including in situations where they are not together when a storm comes. Families should know where to shelter in their homes, like the basement or in an interior room with no windows. It’s also important to put together an emergency supply kit, with items like bottled water, a first aid kit and a flashlight and batteries.

More information on severe weather safety, and ways to participate in Severe Weather Awareness Week, is available online at hsem.dps.mn.gov.