Gray clouds were swirling in a dark blue sky at 5:29 p.m. Sunday, while resident assistants in Stevenson were telling their residents that Coles County was under a tornado warning.

Although no tornado threatened Charleston in the end, preparations were made throughout campus in case an Easter storm hit campus.

As soon as the residence halls confirm a tornado warning, the resident assistants knock on their residents’ doors, informing them of the situation, said Dan Watson, sophomore family and consumer sciences major and Stevenson desk assistant.

At 5:36 p.m., the Stevenson Hall front desk attendants were informed of an alleged tornado touching down in northern Coles County.

Kevin Michels, a senior physical education major, said he would not go to the Stevenson basement and that he thought the worst had probably passed.

In Booth Library, the tornado watch bulletin was announced. Cole Hoffmann, a library security desk worker, confirmed that not long after, people in the library went to the library’s basement to take shelter.

The library’s shelter plan is to go to the basement toward the bathrooms, Hoffmann said. Each desk has an “In case of emergency” binder, he said. It contains plans for extreme weather and fire situations.

About that time, freshman Jenny Will was standing outside Ford Hall watching the clouds swirl.

“I’m in weather and climate, so I’m more interested (in the storm),” she said.

Two week ago, Charleston faced extreme weather conditions that included tornado warnings and severe storms.

On April 2, Lincoln, Stevenson and Douglas were dumped, and residents sat in the stairwells in the basement, said Erin Steben, a resident assistant in Lincoln.

Resident assistants only dump the building, or advise all the residents go to the basement, if the sirens are sounded, Steben said.

Resident assistants cannot force residents to evacuate or take cover in case of a fire or tornado, she said.