Tornado Sirens Explained: Ensuring Your Safety This Severe Weather Season

Weather is trying to get better as each day passes, and we could start to see some severe stuff pop up here and there as May and June get closer. That said, things might get severe enough where you could hear those outdoor sirens from time to time.

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Bad Weather Siren

Tornado Sirens: What You Need to Know

Tornado sirens are designed to alert anyone outdoors that bad weather is moving in. They are not meant to be heard indoors. If you can hear them indoors, that is great, but if you rely only on sirens for severe weather alerts, especially at night when you are asleep, you could miss critical warnings.

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To stay safe, make sure you have multiple ways to receive urgent weather alerts:

Local Media (TV or Radio)
Wireless Emergency Alerts on your phone - turned on
NOAA Weather Radio (battery-powered for nighttime alerts)
Local news apps and weather alert systems
Social Media - Facebook

It should be pointed out that these sirens are tested weekly in Williams County. It usually happens every Wednesday from April through September at 12:00pm. From October to March, tests are done on the 1st Wednesday of the month at 12:00pm. This is done to ensure things are working properly should severe weather move into our area.

Do not wait for a siren to take action! You should have a basic plan in place and know where to go when severe weather strikes. By staying informed, and being prepared, you will stay safe. You can learn more about getting prepared for whatever the weather throws at you by clicking here.