What triggers a tornado siren?

Question

Is it pressure in the air? We had our weather alarm go off twice tonight for a few minutes each time. We aren't having any severe weather. It's not even raining. We are under a tornado watch and severe weather is on its way.

Answer 1

In most places people are authorized to command the siren to be set off, usually this is a High rank police officer that is sworn into this duty, high ranking firefighter, Fire Chief, Chief of Police, Emergency Management Director or weather specialists. Where I live winds have to sustain 70mph for 2 minutes or a tornado has to touch down before it can be called, although some places have other rules such as damaging winds (below 70mph) a funnel cloud confirmed also if a terrorist attack or biochemical attack takes place they can set it off then as well. Usually someone authorizes the alarm to be set off for the entire city or county.

Answer 2

Someone has to set them off, I don't know how large an area is covered by one person thogh.

Answer 3

tornado sirens are set off by a person.

they will be turned on if there is a tornado warning, a tornado or funnel cloud sighting, or (the one people don't usually know of becuase they only do it in certain places) they will turn them on when there is a tornado watch and a severe thunderstorm warning at the same time. they did this in cincinnati when i lived there, and i'm sure a few other places too. this is probably the circumstance you are in from the looks of it.

Answer 4

Weather sirens are triggered manually by people. If there are confirmed touchdowns of tornadoes or confirmed existence of funnel clouds, then the siren will be set off.

Sometimes a siren will be tested when there is no severe weather for the purpose of making sure it works properly.