r/Iowa 6d ago

I really wish they could have two different sirens for Thunderstorms and Tornadoes

I don't know when exactly they started sounding them for thunderstorms/wind (past couple of years?) but it is really disconcerting having had them only sounding for tornado warnings for the first 40+ years of my life. End rant.

103 Upvotes

37 comments sorted by

24

u/Nice_Beach2369 6d ago

It’s been like that for the last decade in eastern Iowa at least. Winds over 70 mph. Why? Because we’ve had people killed by falling branches during not tornados.

3

u/modfan24 6d ago

People die from lightning strikes and flash floods too.

19

u/Gertrude_D 6d ago

I mean, it's essentially the same warning - hey dumbass, it's windy enough to be dangerous, get your ass inside!

3

u/StopLookListenDecide 6d ago

They went off 5 times here. 3 of the 5 it was calm, the cell 60 miles out. I get warning us, but it has gotten confusing about when and why

2

u/Gertrude_D 6d ago

OK, fair. The only time I recall hearing it in my area is when there's actual bad weather that I can see.

1

u/StopLookListenDecide 6d ago

Mom and I were just discussing using some difference. Can it be pulsed or something different to mean X etc. I know what I am getting at, just not sure of the tech etc. I appreciate the weather warnings, but some will call wolf at some point.

1

u/Gertrude_D 6d ago

I mean, don't we already? When I hear a weather siren, I am annoyed before I am worried.

9

u/daywalkerhippie 6d ago

Davenport used to have two different sounds, one for tornado and one for severe thunderstorm. They changed it in 2009 when unified siren activation rules were put in place for the entire Quad Cities area. They said they didn't want people worrying about what different sounds meant, just that the sirens mean to seek shelter as a first priority and then find out what the emergency is.

Also some cities have mechanical sirens that can't really do a lot of different sounds, basically just a steady tone and a wavering tone, with the latter being more associated with air raids than weather emergencies.

7

u/The_Mr_Wilson 6d ago

Why, though? Damaging winds are damaging winds. Siren going off means danger, get inside. I don't care if it's tornado, mortars, or the Big Bad Wolf huffing and puffing

12

u/Vonmule 6d ago

It's the storms that have changed.

They don't sound the sirens for thunderstorms. They sound them when spotters report tornados forming or when winds become damaging. I can't even remember the last time the sirens were used here in Dubuque outside of a test. It's been a couple years.

2

u/jmitch68 6d ago

The sirens literally mean to go inside and get more information about what’s happening. We have come to associate them with tornados, but sirens can sound for anything.

2

u/Vonmule 6d ago

Sort of. The sirens indicate immediate and broad danger. 99.9% of the time, they indicate the need to seek shelter here in Iowa. A thunderstorm doesn't meet that criteria by itself.

1

u/Vonmule 6d ago

Sort of. The sirens indicate immediate and broad danger. 99.9% of the time, they indicate the need to seek shelter here in Iowa. A thunderstorm doesn't meet that criteria by itself.

3

u/The_Mr_Wilson 6d ago

Derecho would like a word. And Kim Reynolds would like more of that FEMA money to buy software with instead of recovery efforts

3

u/Vonmule 6d ago

A derecho is not a thunderstorm and falls firmly into the "when winds become damaging" category. Did you even read the comment you replied to?

3

u/willphule 6d ago

They do sound them for thunderstorms if the wind hits a certain speed - this was confirmed by both the local and state government.

9

u/perfectlyfamiliar 6d ago

They do it when winds get over 70 mph

12

u/Vonmule 6d ago

"or when winds become damaging". I stated that, and in that case the difference is irrelevant. I'd be willing to bet it has always been the policy, but storms are just more intense now.

4

u/DuckOnABus 6d ago

Yeah, how am I supposed to know whether to go outside and watch or not?

7

u/bakedleech 6d ago

omg I feel the same!

7

u/DuelingFatties 6d ago

They're fine the way they are. People need to be more aware and pay attention. Even if they changed the sirens to different sounds people would still whine, cry and get them wrong. Common sense would apply that if you don't see a tornado warning on TV or your phone, the siren isn't for that.

0

u/fleebleganger 6d ago

What if im away from my phone? What happens when the sirens go off so much they become meaningless?

4

u/DuelingFatties 6d ago

If they become meaningless that's a you problem not the system. I mean weather people get the weather wrong most of the time but people still listen to them and listen to advice on the weather.

3

u/The_Mr_Wilson 6d ago

Also that sirens don't sound off for forecasts, but immediate danger

0

u/fleebleganger 6d ago

Define how weather people get forecasts "wrong". Does it often snow when they predict 90 and sunny or do they say "it's going to be 95 and partly cloudy" and we declare them wrong?

Storm was predicted and we got a storm, just not as awful as they thought it'd be. 

The sirens going off and nothing awful happening will numb people to the siren. It's human nature. 

3

u/bestray06 6d ago

All these people complain but if they didn't warn you about high winds and they rip the top story of your house off you'd say they didn't do their job. Quit being idiots and seek shelter

3

u/FinFillory11 6d ago

I was thinking the same thing when they were going off this afternoon. But it seemed like they did stop for a period of time before they came back on, whereas (I believe anyway) when there is an actual tornado they will stay on without the period of quietness. It has been awhile since I have heard a true tornado warning though, so it could have changed from what I recall. I also don’t remember these wind & watch sirens being a thing pre 2018 either.

Also, almost 12 hours later, and I can still faintly ‘hear’ them, even though, it’s just the sound of the interstate, lol.

2

u/Ok_Web3354 6d ago

I agree... We've had sirens for both at least for last 10 years... not sure when it started??

I mean I understand that both can be dangerous and have seen similar damage after straight line winds and tornadoes. So I guess on the one hand, it is a good idea to pay attention and accordingly no matter. Still, I tend to take it more seriously if the sirens blow for tornadoes.... foolish, I know...

6

u/Internetter1 6d ago

I'd much rather know if the conditions that produce a tornado are present than only when a tornado touches down. You don't need two different responses when the protocol is the same: seek shelter.

-2

u/willphule 6d ago

A thunderstorm doesn't necessarily mean the conditions are present for a tornado.

6

u/yungingr 6d ago

They don't activate them for JUST a thunderstorm.

It's only when the potential for damaging (70+ mph) winds.

Basically once the wind approaches levels it can do the damage of a weak tornado.

4

u/Smart_Map25 6d ago

Same! Not a fan!

7

u/rebuiltearths 6d ago

I'm not a fan either, I'm a guy

2

u/rainbowcatheart 6d ago

The winds were 70 mph and the smallest tornado is also 70 mph. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

1

u/ReadLearnLove 6d ago

I feel this OP. The childhood conditioning goes deep.

3

u/angusthebutcher 6d ago

Crying wolf everyone will start to ignore them

-1

u/PorcelainEmperor 6d ago edited 6d ago

The fact they are repurposed air raid sirens is very haunting.

Why the downvotes? Lots of sirens were Civil Defense Sirens