March, May and November are the deadliest months for tornadoes in North Carolina. Just this past weekend, a tornado touched down in the Charlotte area, injuring several people and destroying dozens of homes.
Governor Beverly Perdue, in conjunction with the National Weather Service and Department of Crime Control and Public Safety, have declared the week of March 4th-10th "Severe Weather Awareness Week" for 2012.
Most school systems across the state are conducting tornado drills at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools are performing their safety drills on Thursday morning because many students will be on field trips.
According to the National Weather Service, North Carolina leads the nation with the highest percentage of fatalities from tornadoes at night.
WFDD's Keri Brown spoke with Phil Hysell, metoerologist with the National Weather Service in Blacksburg, to talk about making emergency plans, no matter where you are. To hear more, click on the "Listen" icon above this story.