Statewide Tornado Drill Snagged By Technical Issues: Report

ALEXANDRIA, VA — A statewide tornado drill scheduled for Tuesday morning didn't happen as planned due to technical issues at the National Weather Service, according to a media report.

During the annual drill, a test message and alert tones are broadcast through the Emergency Alert System by local TV and radio stations and cable TV outlets. The message also goes out to radios in the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) network.

On Tuesday, however, the notifications sent out to these broadcast outlets failed to properly function, radio station WTOP reported. Technical issues at the National Weather Service were to blame for the foul-up, according to a statement from the weather service and the Virginia Department of Emergency Management.

"The National Weather Service is working to address the issue and ensure that appropriate system improvements are made," the two agencies said.

Nevertheless, many businesses and individuals participated in the tornado drill, and people across the commonwealth posted photos and videos on social media of drills in their areas, WTOP reported.

Image: National Weather Service