Why are tornado sirens so eerie?

Those who are hard of hearing might not hear the warning at all. The distinctive wailing sound of the tornado siren is designed to interject itself into whatever is going on so people are forced to pay attention to it and take action.

When I was writing we ran into the question “Why do we hear tornado sirens in Oklahoma?”.

Rick Smith is the Warning Coordination Meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma. Smith says hearing tornado sirens is just a way of life in some areas of the country. “People grew up with them, they’re used to them,” said Smith, “and they’re used quite a bit here in this area (Oklahoma).”.

What does it really mean when the tornado sirens go off?

In short, it means that something life-threatening is happening and you should go indoors and get more information. The specific guidelines (tornado, hail, wind, etc.) for sounding sirens varies by jurisdiction, so check with your local community to find out the specifics if you are interested.

This begs the question “When tornado sirens go off?”

I learned For a tornado or 70 mph winds or greater warning, the siren will give a solid one-minute or three-minute (depending on the model) blast every 10 minutes until the warning has expired. When a tornado siren goes off what does that mean? In short, it means that something life-threatening is happening and you should go indoors and get more information.

What do you do when you hear a tornado siren?

Nonperishable water and food for several days. Flashlight with extra batteries. Battery-powered or hand-crank radio to receive weather alerts. Phone and phone chargers. First aid kit, essential prescription medications and hygiene products. Change of clothing. Sleeping bag or blankets. Important documents like insurance policies, identification, etc.

If the outdoor warning system is heard at anytime other than scheduled test days, seek shelter and tune in to local radio, television, or your NOAA weather radio for instructions and information. It is important to remember that any thunderstorm can produce a tornado with little or no warning.

While reading we ran into the question “How are tornado sirens activated?”.

The tornado sirens are activated with a signal from the NWS that indicates a tornado has been spotted or is strongly indicated on a Doppler radar and/or strong, damaging winds of 70 mph or greater are present. The alert goes off in the specific cities or towns that will be affected,.

Another frequent inquiry is “Can you hear a tornado siren when you sleep?”.

Even people who live very close to a tornado siren can’t hear them if they’re sleeping, playing music, watching television, or are otherwise preoccupied. If communities really want to help people protect themselves from life-threatening severe weather, they should demolish their siren systems and invest in automated weather radios.

Why do we keep wasting money on tornado sirens?

These loud sirens are meant to warn people who are outdoors that a tornado is on its way. Now that we’re indoors or in a car for most of our lives, tornado sirens are all but useless, yet we keep wasting money on them. Tornado forecasting wasn’t all that impressive just a few decades ago.