# For those in tornado-prone areas: How do you react to sirens? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 23, 2011, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-in-tornado-prone-areas-how-do-you-react-to-sirens/579511 "2011-04-23T22:43:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-in-tornado-prone-areas-how-do-you-react-to-sirens/579511/21 "2011-04-24T02:47:47Z")
> [@Eureka](#): > > Truthfully, I’m not sure I’ve ever heard a tornado siren that was warning about a tornado. > > I’ve heard innumerable tornado siren tests … That jogs a memory. I do recall the tests, because they would always warn about those ahead of time. But for an actual tornado? Nope, no memory. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-in-tornado-prone-areas-how-do-you-react-to-sirens/579511/22 "2011-04-24T02:49:03Z")
> [@GythaOgg](#): > > They will sound the sirens here for all of St. Louis County even if the sighting/warning is miles and miles away from your part of things. Ah. I was wondering about that. ---
**Author:** ![Hennessy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hennessy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hennessy)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-in-tornado-prone-areas-how-do-you-react-to-sirens/579511/23 "2011-04-24T02:58:40Z")
I usually start running the streets to find out where the sirens are coming from in hope I would find one and break it in to pieces, that loud piece of shit… I’m in St. Louis too, yesterday was the first day they had meaning. I used to work somewhere with one on my jobs lot, it was an outside job too. First Monday (i think) of the month always had a loud surprise for me… ---
**Author:** ![vix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a88e4f/32.png) [@vix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vix)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-in-tornado-prone-areas-how-do-you-react-to-sirens/579511/24 "2011-04-24T03:10:10Z")
I’m not sure how to define “tornado-prone,” but I’ve actually seen a tornado (or a water spout? Does that count?) and heard a siren warning or two. I didn’t do anything in any of those cases, but the weather was never unusual. ETA: I chose “other” in the poll. Not sure if I even qualify to answer. ---
**Author:** ![PeskiPiksi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e495f1/32.png) [@PeskiPiksi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PeskiPiksi)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-in-tornado-prone-areas-how-do-you-react-to-sirens/579511/25 "2011-04-24T03:15:37Z")
Here in Tulsa, during the spring months they test the sirens every Wednesday at noon like clockwork. My three year-old daughter loves it, for some odd reason. You’d think it was the ice cream truck music instead of just a tornado siren. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-in-tornado-prone-areas-how-do-you-react-to-sirens/579511/26 "2011-04-24T03:25:00Z")
> [@PeskiPiksi](#): > > My three year-old daughter loves it, for some odd reason. You’d think it was the ice cream truck music instead of just a tornado siren. When she was an infant, did you soothe her during the noise by feeding her whiskey? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-in-tornado-prone-areas-how-do-you-react-to-sirens/579511/27 "2011-04-24T03:45:06Z")
If it happens at work, I see if I can get out of the prison before a lockdown is called, which could end up with me being stuck there after work hours. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-in-tornado-prone-areas-how-do-you-react-to-sirens/579511/28 "2011-04-24T03:51:25Z")
> [@GythaOgg](#): > > They will sound the sirens here for all of St. Louis County even if the sighting/warning is miles and miles away from your part of things. We check the TV and then decide whether or not to head for the bathroom. Our county is much the same. Often the sirens will blow and the tornado they are warning about is miles to the north or east of us, and moving away from us. I marked “other” because I turn to the computer instead of the TV for information. At any rate, when the sirens go off I check to find out where the suspected tornado is before deciding what to do about it. It’s not a good idea to look outside, because tornadoes here can be wrapped up in the rain clouds and aren’t visible until they are on top of you. ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-in-tornado-prone-areas-how-do-you-react-to-sirens/579511/29 "2011-04-24T04:08:43Z")
The sirens mean, “go outside and look.” Well, unless it’s dark out. If it’s dark out, then they mean, “pull up [weather.com](http://weather.com) and look at the radar.” At work, they meant, “you have thirty minutes off the phones, which you must spend in a hallway with your co-workers, explicitly forbidden from going outside and looking.” In that case, I pulled [weather.com](http://weather.com) up on my cell phone, and watched the radar. When I was growing up, my dad and I used to go out and see nearby severe storms. I recognize that my attitude towards them is reckless and stupid. Damn but it’s fun, though. ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-in-tornado-prone-areas-how-do-you-react-to-sirens/579511/30 "2011-04-24T05:43:05Z")
Man, the policy on blowing the sirens must be different in you areas or has changed over time. The only times that I’ve heard them blown in earnest have been when the tornado has been within five miles of me. I’ve personally witnessed 12-15 tornadoes. ---
**Author:** ![PeskiPiksi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e495f1/32.png) [@PeskiPiksi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PeskiPiksi)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-in-tornado-prone-areas-how-do-you-react-to-sirens/579511/31 "2011-04-24T06:01:41Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > When she was an infant, did you soothe her during the noise by feeding her whiskey? I know you’re joking, but oh my gosh how tempting that was sometimes!! ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-in-tornado-prone-areas-how-do-you-react-to-sirens/579511/32 "2011-04-24T13:23:48Z")
watches (conditions likely) and warnings (visual or radar evidence of one existing) are at a county level so the severe weather can seem to be a distance away. though tornadoes can travel up to 70 mph and develop new within a few minutes so one can be on you quickly. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-in-tornado-prone-areas-how-do-you-react-to-sirens/579511/33 "2011-04-24T13:53:13Z")
i’m a storm spotter so i am observing and will report when i see tornadoes, damaging winds or large hail. i will also be watching weather radar to see what the situation is beyond what i can observe. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-in-tornado-prone-areas-how-do-you-react-to-sirens/579511/34 "2011-04-24T14:23:32Z")
I have heard my town’s tornado sirens going off for real on three or four occasions, so I kept an ear out for a tornado, but tornadoes (so far!) have tracked well to the north and south of us. As a baby I survived a tornado that killed hundreds in my immediate area, but I have no memory of it. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-in-tornado-prone-areas-how-do-you-react-to-sirens/579511/35 "2011-04-24T15:06:46Z")
Currently you usually can’t hear the siren outside, because the highway traffic is three times louder. You never hear it if you’re in a house. The place I lived 15 years ago often didn’t get warnings until 15 to 30 minutes after the tornadoes went by. It’s a dead zone for coverage in central Wisconsin. The neighbors were a better warning system. I will always remember laying with shorts only in a nettle filled ditch, hail and rain pelting me and winds whipping shit all over above the lip of the ditch. No warnings were given and I had walked out of the house to funnel clouds coming my way and a sunny bright sky in the direction I had been facing in the house. I closed the door, ran toward the ditch and the large heavy steps with railings were thrown against my car as I reached the ditch. The warnings were out 30 minutes later. Most places I’ve lived have the choice of laying in the ditch for hours in the hail, rain and lightening every time a warning was given or watching for danger before laying in a ditch. You can get warnings every night in the summer. Unless the government requires a storm shelter in all rental living places, many people will always be in this situation. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-in-tornado-prone-areas-how-do-you-react-to-sirens/579511/36 "2011-04-24T15:51:44Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > Currently you usually can’t hear the siren outside, because the highway traffic is three times louder. You never hear it if you’re in a house. i heard the claim that it is designed to be heard by those outside. if it was at a volume so that it could be heard indoors through out its coverage area it would be too loud near the siren. during severe weather or potential air raid people indoors are assumed to have radio or tv or now net on. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-in-tornado-prone-areas-how-do-you-react-to-sirens/579511/37 "2011-04-24T15:55:35Z")
You can definitely hear ours from inside the house. Last week they woke me from a sound sleep. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-in-tornado-prone-areas-how-do-you-react-to-sirens/579511/38 "2011-04-24T17:22:33Z")
Another vote for “other” and my actual process is: Long before the sirens go off, I’m paying attention to the NOAA weather radio & if appropriate monitoring the situation via the NWS website. When the radar looks nasty, I eyeball the sky & if that looks nasty AND the sirens are running, then I head for the basement. Or if the sirens wake me from a sound sleep, I’m in the basement after grabbing my laptop so I to catch up my situational awareness while hiding. Our city’s sirens seem to go off for severe thunderstorms, rather than tornadoes. Which is dirt stupid, since those happen at least weekly here in the spring, whereas a tornado within city limits will be a once per century thing at most. Way to cry “Wolf!!” guys. Having said all that, this is an interesting clip [http://www.kmov.com/video/featured-videos/Caught-on-tape-Storm-sweeps-through-Lambert-Airport-120544144.html](http://www.kmov.com/video/featured-videos/Caught-on-tape-Storm-sweeps-through-Lambert-Airport-120544144.html) It’s a clip from a security camera inside the termnal at the STL airport when the tornado hit. You see a couple people acting normal then concerned, 10 seconds of people no kidding running for safety, then 15 seconds of crazy wind, then it’s over. My bottom line lesson from this is things went from fine to scary to deadly (in a weaker structure) to normal in about 30 seconds flat. My heretofore belief that I have time to react and get to safety after I detect the tornado myself may need recalibration. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-in-tornado-prone-areas-how-do-you-react-to-sirens/579511/39 "2011-04-24T17:33:01Z")
I’ve never heard of tornado sirens in Canada (although we certainly get tornadoes from time to time). Are there any Canadian communities that have them? Whenever I saw a tornado warning on TV, I’d just keep watching for further developments. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-in-tornado-prone-areas-how-do-you-react-to-sirens/579511/40 "2011-04-24T17:56:47Z")
Question for everyone who’s heard the alarms \ : It was decades before I realized that the alarm I heard growing up was identical to the WW2 air raid sirens. Is it like this everywhere, or do they sound different? I’ve always wondered if ours were just leftovers from the wars, though I really don’t think our school system was that old. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-in-tornado-prone-areas-how-do-you-react-to-sirens/579511.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-in-tornado-prone-areas-how-do-you-react-to-sirens/579511.md?page=3)