A statewide tornado drill set for Tuesday won't look or sound much different in Champaign or Vermilion counties than the tests run the first Tuesday of every month.

But when citizens hear the emergency sirens being tested at 10 a.m. Tuesday, they're asked to give serious thought to whether they're prepared for the nasty weather that can hit the Midwest in the spring.

Feb. 27 to March 5 marks Severe Weather Preparedness Week in Illinois.

"Have your emergency plan, your contact information, and where you will go to take shelter should a tornado affect your area," urged Bill Keller, Champaign County Emergency Management Agency director.

Keller said one of the things happening Tuesday that normally happens weekly on Wednesdays is that the National Weather Service offices will issue "test" tornado warnings to the media and through the NOAA weather radio signal.

Businesses, schools and homes are encouraged to practice their tornado safety plans during the drill or if they don't have one, to make one.

Keller said there will also be a meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the ILEAS training center in Urbana for Champaign County storm spotters to refresh their training.

The last tornado to do significant damage in Champaign County was on April 19, 1996. It leveled much of Ogden, damaged several east Urbana neighborhoods, and killed a Missouri woman in a semitrailer tractor truck on Interstate 74 just east of Ogden.