Sounding the alarm for storm preparation

Monthly Outdoor Warning Siren testing begins Monday, April 6

The Clear Lake Police Department has released the dates for testing the Clear Lake Outdoor Warning Sirens in 2015.  The first test will be this Monday, April 6, at noon.

When the sirens are activated, they will be sounded for a period of one minute.  Any activated outside of the dates and times listed below means that the sirens have been activated due to weather.  

The Outdoor Warning Sirens will be set off when certain conditions occur; when the National Weather Service has issued a tornado warning for the area, when the National Weather Service has issued a warning for straight line winds in excess of 50 mph, or when the National Weather Service has issued a warning for a dangerous lightning storm.  The sirens will also be set off if any of these weather conditions have been spotted locally.

If a tornado has been spotted or reported on the ground, the sirens will remain activated until the tornado has dissipated.  In all other cases, the sirens will be sounded for a period of three minutes.

The Clear Lake Police Department reminds the public:

•The Outdoor Warning Sirens are designed to give an audible warning to people who are outdoors when severe weather is approaching.

•Each siren is capable of covering a one mile radius from its location.

•If you are outdoors and you hear the sirens, immediately seek shelter indoors.

•The sirens are not designed to be heard indoors, although those living close to a siren site may hear them while indoors.  Further weather information is available on the television or radio.

•Do not dial 911 to ask why the sirens have been set off, as these calls tie up the telephone lines to the Police Department preventing the department from receiving emergency calls.

The 2015 dates for testing will be on Mondays at noon on the following dates: April 6, May 4, June 1, July 6, Aug. 3 and Sept. 7.

No testing will be conducted in October, November and December 2015, as well as January, February or March 2016 due to winter weather months.

For more information, go to www.weather.gov/