Book 7, Question 44
Why Do Weather Sirens Howl?
A weather siren is a giant outdoor loudspeaker. Its job is to warn people outside when dangerous weather is near, so they can get to shelter quickly. The howl means: take action now, then find out the details.
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 7
More fun facts
- Outdoor sirens are not designed to warn you when you are indoors.
- Experts say to have more than one way to get weather warnings, such as a NOAA Weather Radio.
- In one Oklahoma county, new forecasts helped officials sound the sirens about 30 minutes before a tornado arrived.
- The slow, wailing up-and-down siren sound is more than a century old.
- Sirens can fail. In 2001, lightning knocked out the tornado siren in Siren, Wisconsin, about a month before a tornado struck nearby.
Sources: NOAA, NOAA, BBC, U.S. Geological Survey
Questions kids ask
Will I hear a tornado siren inside my house?
Maybe not. Sirens are meant for people outdoors, so have another way to get warnings too.
What is a good way to get weather warnings at home?
A NOAA Weather Radio is one good way.