The annual statewide tornado exercise in Illinois will be held this Wednesday at 10 a.m.

The Federal Communications Commission granted a one-time waiver of their Emergency Alert System rules so that all EAS participants in Illinois can broadcast the live tornado warning without restriction or reprisal by the FCC, according to a press release from the National Weather Service.

“This annual exercise is conducted by schools, businesses, law enforcement agencies, emergency managers, and the public to prepare for the severe thunderstorm and tornado season in Illinois,” said Chris Miller, Warning Coordination Meteorologist with the NWS in Lincoln in a press release.

“A main component of this exercise is the ability to test weather alert radios, law enforcement communications networks, and the EAS equipment of Illinois broadcasters with a ‘live’ Tornado Warning code, Miller said.

The test was originally scheduled for Tuesday at 10 a.m., but was postponed due to the anticipated winter storm in northern Illinois on Tuesday.

This test is done in conjunction with Severe Weather Preparedness week which takes place March 3-9.