Tornado Warnings in the DFW Area

[elan]

If the sky looks funny (as in odd), I jump on the internet and look at the weather radar. Boy, I really miss Harold too. When I was growing up, they didn't turn the sirens on unless you were in the tornado's path. They do seem a little trigger happy now.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by elan

If the sky looks funny (as in odd), I jump on the internet and look at the weather radar. Boy, I really miss Harold too. When I was growing up, they didn't turn the sirens on unless you were in the tornado's path. They do seem a little trigger happy now.

Glad I'm not the only one who thinks so!

Didn't it used to be that they didn't trigger the sirens or issue a warning unless there was a confirmed tornado? I can understand them erring on the side of caution after dark, since you can't see the tornadoes...but they fire the sirens off willy nilly even during daylight hours.

[Johnhw2]

At least 2 of the TV stations have weather equipment which picks up debris fields on radar. Makes it very clear where a tornado is active and provides a high probability warning for areas but not much notice. Yet still a nice advancement in technology to make things better known

[elan]

Originally Posted by BigDGeek

Glad I'm not the only one who thinks so!

Didn't it used to be that they didn't trigger the sirens or issue a warning unless there was a confirmed tornado? I can understand them erring on the side of caution after dark, since you can't see the tornadoes...but they fire the sirens off willy nilly even during daylight hours.

Yep, they didn't turn them on unless a tornado was confirmed by trained spotters or the police/firemen. And, in the really really old days (probably before you were born or there about), they didn't turn them on unless it was on the ground.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by elan

Yep, they didn't turn them on unless a tornado was confirmed by trained spotters or the police/firemen. And, in the really really old days (probably before you were born or there about), they didn't turn them on unless it was on the ground.

I was born in the mid-1970s. I remember in the early 1980s I'd only hear the sirens if the sky was green and it was hailing.

[elan]

Originally Posted by BigDGeek

I was born in the mid-1970s. I remember in the early 1980s I'd only hear the sirens if the sky was green and it was hailing.

That sounds about right (you're the same age as my oldest daughter). I can't remember for sure, but I think it was around 2000 when they started turning them on at the drop of a hat.

[elan]

Originally Posted by Johnhw2

At least 2 of the TV stations have weather equipment which picks up debris fields on radar. Makes it very clear where a tornado is active and provides a high probability warning for areas but not much notice. Yet still a nice advancement in technology to make things better known

First time I noticed that was the other night, pretty cool.

[mSooner]

Didn't it used to be that they didn't trigger the sirens or issue a warning unless there was a confirmed tornado? I can understand them erring on the side of caution after dark, since you can't see the tornadoes...but they fire the sirens off willy nilly even during daylight hours.

They test them at noon (or other specified times) once a week during the daylight hours.

A siren should be sounded if a tornado warning is effective in your area. Remember this means a tornado has been confirmed OR conditions are very likely for a tornado to form.

The tornado has to drop at somewhere initially...it wouldn't do a whole lot of good for the people under it if visual confirmation was required for a warning to be issued.

[serger]

As I mentioned in one of the related posts there were no sirens in April 2008 when EF1 touched down SW portion of Allen there were no sirens and 4 am. In a case like that I would have gladly taken a false positive. They said it was a tornado two days later after analyzing the damage.
We do feel lucky it was just EF1.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by mSooner

They test them at noon (or other specified times) once a week during the daylight hours.

A siren should be sounded if a tornado warning is effective in your area. Remember this means a tornado has been confirmed OR conditions are very likely for a tornado to form.

The tornado has to drop at somewhere initially...it wouldn't do a whole lot of good for the people under it if visual confirmation was required for a warning to be issued.

And that's why I said I could understand them erring on the side of caution at night.

I'm from here, I'm well aware that they test sirens during daylight hours. They don't do it if the weather is bad because they don't want people to freak out.

My concern is that people will hear the sirens so often when nothing happens that they will tune them out when they go off. I tune them out. I rely on other sources for notification because they're so Chicken Little with the sirens.