The Monthly Test
- When: the first Wednesday of every month, between noon and 12:05 p.m., year-round, weather permitting.(Dane County EM)
- What it sounds like: the same three-minute steady tone as a real warning. The sirens can't be turned down for tests.(Dane County EM)
- Cancellations: tests are skipped if severe weather is around or conditions could damage the sirens, such as ice on the rotating heads. Canceled tests are not rescheduled.(Dane County)(Dane County EM)
- Other short tests: when a siren reports an error, the repair contractor may sound it briefly without notice, but never during threatening weather or after dark.(Dane County EM)
- Noon whistles: a few communities still use their sirens for a noon whistle or fire calls. Those sound different; the warning is always a three-minute steady tone.(Dane County EM)
When Sirens Sound
- Tornado warnings. Each time NWS issues a tornado warning for part of Dane County, sirens in the warned area sound one three-minute cycle at the start.(Dane County EM)
- "Destructive" thunderstorms. Sirens also sound for severe thunderstorm warnings with NWS's "destructive" tag, meaning 2.75-inch (baseball) hail or 80 mph winds.(Dane County EM)
- Only in the warned area. Since 2013 the county sounds only the sirens inside the NWS warning polygon, not the whole county. If you hear one, you're in the warning area.(Dane County EM)
- No all-clear. Sirens never sound to say the danger has passed. Check a weather radio, app or broadcast.(Dane County EM)
- The county decides. NWS issues warnings; Dane County's policy decides when sirens sound.(Dane County EM)
There are 144 sirens, placed in the most densely populated parts of the county. How far one carries depends on the siren, wind, humidity, hills, trees and background noise.(Dane County EM) The county posts a siren map and site list.
Warnings Inside Your House
The siren system isn't designed to reach people indoors, especially with windows closed and the TV or air conditioner on, and it probably won't wake you.(Dane County EM) Dane County Emergency Management recommends more than one source:(Dane County EM)
- NOAA Weather Radio. The county recommends one for every household; it stays on and alerts like a smoke alarm.(Dane County EM) Madison's transmitter is WXJ-87 on 162.550 MHz, run by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan.(NWS)
- Wireless Emergency Alerts on your phone. They aren't texts; they go to every capable phone in the targeted area for threats like tornadoes and flash floods.(Dane County EM)
- Weather apps and local TV or radio.
- Dane County Alerts by text, email or phone: sign up from the county's notification page. The county's emergency phone calls are not used for weather warnings.(Dane County EM)
Don't wait for a siren. If TV, radio or a phone alert tells you to take cover, do it, and if you see a threatening storm, take shelter even without a warning. Tornadoes sometimes form before a warning can be issued.(Dane County EM)
Where to Shelter
- With a basement: go to the basement or a safe room.(NWS)
- Without a basement: an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building, away from windows.(NWS)(NWS)
- Mobile homes, sheds and tents aren't safe. Get to the closest sturdy building if you have time.(NWS)
- In a car: drive to the nearest shelter if you can. If not, get down and cover your head, or leave the car for a ditch or other low spot.(NWS)
After a storm, check the roof for hail damage, be wary of door-to-door storm repair crews, and see what to do when the power goes out. Dane County's tornado record since 1950 is on the weather and hazards hub.
Watch vs. Warning
| Alert | What it means | Who issues it |
|---|---|---|
| Tornado watch | Tornadoes are possible in and near the watch area. Review your plan and be ready to move. | NWS Storm Prediction Center, usually for many counties |
| Tornado warning | A tornado has been sighted or indicated by radar. Take shelter now. | Local NWS office (Milwaukee/Sullivan for Dane County), for a smaller area |
| Tornado emergency | NWS's highest alert: a violent tornado is on the ground with catastrophic damage confirmed. | Local NWS office |
Definitions from NWS.(NWS)
Questions
When are the tornado sirens tested in Dane County?
On the first Wednesday of every month, between noon and 12:05 p.m., year-round, weather permitting. The test is the same three-minute steady tone as a real warning. Canceled tests are not made up.
Why didn't I hear the siren inside my house?
Sirens are built to warn people outdoors. Dane County Emergency Management says they shouldn't be relied on indoors, and won't usually wake you. Use a weather radio, phone alerts or local broadcasts inside.
Do the sirens sound an all-clear?
No. Dane County never sounds an all-clear. Sirens sound once, at the start of a warning, only in the area NWS has warned.
Why did the siren go off when it wasn't a tornado?
Dane County also sounds sirens for severe thunderstorm warnings NWS tags 'destructive': 2.75-inch hail or 80 mph winds. Brief daytime repair tests can happen without notice too. To report a siren you think sounded in error, call 608-255-2345, option 6.
Where should I go in a house without a basement?
NWS says to go to an interior room on the lowest floor, away from windows. Mobile homes, sheds and tents aren't safe; get to a sturdy building.