Weather forecasts aren’t perfect; they can change very quickly. In Kansas, that means an increased chance for tornadoes, damaging winds, severe thunderstorms, lightning, large hail and flash flooding. The National Weather Service in Topeka has designated March 6-10 as Severe Weather Preparedness Week in Kansas, including a statewide tornado drill March 7th. K-State meteorologist and manager of Mesonet, a network of environmental monitoring stations across Kansas, Chip Redmond, says having a plan for what to do in the event of severe weather is the first step in protecting you and your family.

Sound Living is a weekly public affairs program addressing issues related to families and consumers. It is hosted by Jeff Wichman. Each episode shares the expertise of K-State specialists in fields such as child nutrition, food safety, adult development and aging, youth development, family resource management, physical fitness and more.

Send comments, questions or requests for copies of past programs to [email protected].

K‑State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well‑being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K‑State campus in Manhattan.