DeKALB | This week marks the state’s Severe Weather Preparedness Week.

It is crucial to the safety of a community that as many of its citizens as possible be ready and knowledgeable about the necessary procedures in an emergency weather situation.

NIU meteorologist Gilbert Sebenste has some strategies and resources for students.

He is forecasting “an interesting March, April and May,” if current trends continue.

“There have been signs of a more active tornado season this year,” he said.

In the past five years, Illinois has averaged more tornadoes annually.

“A destructive tornado just hit Harvard, Ill. in January 2008,” said Sebenste. “Then just around Thanksgiving 2010, another one hit in Caledonia.”

Those towns are 16 miles apart, and both occurred during traditionally cold months.

Several resources are available in emergency weather situations. A full website at www.weather.admin.niu.edu and campus cable channel 35 are each solely dedicated to inform those living at NIU and in its surrounding areas about local weather, featuring Doppler Radar and any current watch or warning in effect.

These are updated in real time to ensure their accuracy and promptness. There are also about 300 weather alert radios interspersed throughout the campus that sound a siren in the event of severe weather.

Every building on campus contains at least one radio and some, including the residence halls, have two or more, Sebenste said.