Tornado Sirens

[Thumper]

Has anyone else noticed how they are a joke.They go off about every time we get any kind of storm for no reason.The big one that hit down here on the southside a few years ago didn't go off till it was over.Every time time they go off now i have to howl like a wolf.Sorry for the rant but i am tired of the boy that cried wolf.

 

[ThrottleJockey]

Have you noticed how they have changed the definition of a "warning"? It used to be a "watch" until a tornado actually was confirmed to have touched down, then it became a "warning". Now they claim a "warning" is when the conditions are favorable for them....sort of ticks me off.

 

[jsharmon7]

I pay them no mind at this point. I can see there's a storm, just let me know when a tornado is coming.

 

[redneckmedic]

I really do love the thunderstorms... I'm just not keen on babysitting high water intersections at 3:30am, Yes the Big Red Truck with all the lights blowing the air-horn at you means stop... Stop ...STOP! That's fantastic, now your engine is dead and your stuck in the middle of the road in 3' of water *face palm*

 

[phylodog]

I'm sure it was changed because someone cried that the government failed to save them from a tornado so now they crank them up at the first bolt of lightning. They have become a useless annoyance. If they'd turn them off I might have a chance of actually hearing a tornado before it levels my house.

 

[phylodog]

I really do love the thunderstorms... I'm just not keen on babysitting high water intersections at 3:30am, Yes the Big Red Truck with all the lights blowing the air-horn at you means stop... Stop ...STOP! That's fantastic, now your engine is dead and your stuck in the middle of the road in 3' of water *face palm*

Been there. I blocked an intersection several years ago due to high water. Some idiot in a minivan insisted on driving through because "I just live right over there". I warned her twice and she drove in anyway, made it about 20 yards and killed the engine. She rolled down her window and asked me to help her which would have included walking into three feet deep water.

 

[littletommy]

When there is a big storm coming, I usually watch the local news channels radar, and decide for myself if I'm in harms way. I've been directly involved in four tornadoes in my life, and not once has a siren alerted me to the danger. This morning, at 4:15, I was watching Fox41 in Louisville, and they said a warning had been issued for Clark co. it was a good 6-8 minutes later that the sirens started up. Useless.

 

[littletommy]

Been there. I blocked an intersection several years ago due to high water. Some idiot in a minivan insisted on driving through because "I just live right over there". I warned her twice and she drove in anyway, made it about 20 yards and killed the engine. She rolled down her window and asked me to help her which would have included walking into three feet deep water.

Jerry Abramson, the long time mayor of Louisville KY, was on TV a year or two ago while some pretty serious flooding was going on, and idiots driving into deep water was rampant. It was one of the coolest things I have heard a politician say, he told the citizens "go ahead, drive into a flooded area, and our fine rescue personnel will come out and save you, then a nice police officer will help you to his car, and take you to jail, and we'll send you a bill for our trouble".

 

[Yamaha]

Has anyone else noticed how they are a joke.They go off about every time we get any kind of storm for no reason.The big one that hit down here on the southside a few years ago didn't go off till it was over.Every time time they go off now i have to howl like a wolf.Sorry for the rant but i am tired of the boy that cried wolf.

if they get a doppler indication of rotation or confirmed funnel clouds/tornado touchdown they issue a warning, they are supposed to sound the sirens in only that event and the event of a tornado watch coupled with a severe thunderstorm warning......

you want a really good one, I lived in evansville in 2005-2006......the sirens never sounded that night in november the tornado tore through south of USI's campus and crossed into kentucky, then crossed the river into indiana again at the horse track and then into newbergh where it killed several people.
I beat that storm back to campus by literally 15-20 minutes from being stranded on the side of the power plants coal road without a driveshaft...... When we went back to get it the next day, there was a nice damage path that started in indiana....within a mile of where I had previously been stranded. Skirting death perhaps?

 

[eldirector]

Actually, I think they are for ANY warning now. Kind of annoying, and ends up not having ANY meaning. Every time my weather radio sounded off last night, the sirens started up a minute after. Severe Thunderstorm, Flood, and finally the Tornado warning for Hendricks County.

Thankfully, the nearest siren is 1/2 mile away. Audible, but not annoying. My weather radio(s) do a better job of alerting me.

 

[Marc]

no sirens with in 15 miles of where i live

 

[Yamaha]

also, I forgot to add, I never look at the local stations. Go to weather.gov and change between base radar and base velocities(windspeeds towards and away from the radar site) That will tell you more than any talking head on the boob tube will tell you.

The warning dropped for northern delaware county last night had rotation, and a good bit of it. I didn't look down south of indy, as I was more concerned with what was going on here. just remember, bright green and bright red on the base velocity screen right next to each other is a surefire sign of rotation......enjoy


edit: also look, weather is still unpredictable, no warning for madison co last night, although I still doubt it was a tornado.....btw, anyone see the news with the lady in fishers claiming stuff blown over was a tornado? I wish someone would shut her up....

 

[cbseniour]

I just roll over and go back to sleep.

 

[Leadeye]

Once when I knew a tornado was coming I went outside to watch it. I had heard all the descriptions of the noise and wanted to hear for myself. I watched it approach and when it was about a mile away I noticed the noise, very unique, more of a ripping than a roar. Screaming wife got me back inside.

 

[Zephri]

They used to only go off when a storm was actually severe enough, now it's just like lol rain, thunder, PANIC! herp deeeeerp. O.o.

I hate the weather man, Weather.gov radar ftw.

 

[K_W]

According to my co-workers who are lighter sleepers than I am, they went off every hour here in Carmel.

 

[thej27]

My weather radio has given me better warning then the sirens.

 

[DRob]

Sirens

The Marion County sirens are activated based on a specific protocol with activation generally determined by information from the National Weather Service. Their purpose is to let people know there is a possibility of severe weather and they should check TV or radio broadcasts for more information. A few folks are self-reliant and aware enough that they don't really need them but the large majority must have their hands held.

 

[.40caltrucker]

I really do love the thunderstorms... I'm just not keen on babysitting high water intersections at 3:30am, Yes the Big Red Truck with all the lights blowing the air-horn at you means stop... Stop ...STOP! That's fantastic, now your engine is dead and your stuck in the middle of the road in 3' of water *face palm*

Jerry Abramson, the long time mayor of Louisville KY, was on TV a year or two ago while some pretty serious flooding was going on, and idiots driving into deep water was rampant. It was one of the coolest things I have heard a politician say, he told the citizens "go ahead, drive into a flooded area, and our fine rescue personnel will come out and save you, then a nice police officer will help you to his car, and take you to jail, and we'll send you a bill for our trouble".

BTDT when I was 18. Everyone else was getting through just fine when I went through my car sucked the water right up the intake. $75 tow bill, $138 ticket later I don't drive through any water now. They sent 5 deputy cars, a volunteer firefighter, after I told them I pushed my car out of the water I was safe and just needed a tow truck, then the deputy that gave me a ticket yelled at me for putting him in danger. He knew I was safely out of the water yet he chose to drive through it to get to me.

2 seconds after he gives me the ticket and yells at me a call comes in about a crazy man chasing someone with a chain saw. For once why couldn't the crazy man go crazy a few min earlier, then I might not have gotten a ticket cause everyone left for that call and left me waiting for the tow truck. When they left they went right back through the water again.

 

[Oliver]

Yeah, they're really not even a big deal. I mean, I only live about 75ft from one. It, coupled with my Lycan calling it's brethren from around the world every time it goes off, makes for a wonderful night of staring at the ceiling.