MADISON, Wis. — Dane County officials announced that February’s outdoor warning siren test was canceled due to recent weather conditions that could increase the risk of damaging siren components.
The warning, originally scheduled for Wednesday at noon, occurs monthly. A network of 144 outdoor warning sirens is maintained by Dane County Emergency Management. The sirens alert residents when the National Weather Service issues warnings for thunderstorms or tornadoes that could produce tornado-like conditions.
“While the sirens are designed to be able to operate in cold weather conditions, there are concerns that recent subzero temperatures and precipitation could have caused ice to build up on the mechanisms used to rotate the siren heads,” city officials said. ”If this has occurred, it could unnecessarily damage the sirens during testing.”…