As a reminder, Ray County does not have tornado sirens. Ray County has Outdoor Warning Sirens. Outdoor warning sirens represent only one part of the public emergency notification system. Other components include: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) All-Hazards Weather Radio, National Weather Service (NWS), law enforcement, fire service, emergency management, text notification networks, private sector meterologists, and the broadcast media.

Sirens are used to alert citizens of an imminent hazard, prompt them to take immediate action in finding shelter, and, once there, seek additional information on the threat to life and property. Your primary source of weather threat information should be a NOAA weather radio.

Outdoor warning sirens are sounded to alert residents that they should seek shelter inside and obtain further information from other sources about what safety precautions they should take. Because tornadoes are not the only dangerous weather, tornadoes are not the only weather event that causes the outdoor warning sirens to sound. Dangerously high winds and large hail approaching our area are other events that can cause the outdoor warning sirens to be sounded.