Tornado sirens are set to go off in Chicago Tuesday, but it won't be at the time of the usual monthly test, so why will they sound?
The monthly test for May was moved back a week due to severe weather in the area last week.
Chicago's Office of Emergency Management and Communications postponed the siren testing, which typically happens on the first Tuesday of every month, to 10 a.m. on May 14.
The "Emergency Outdoor Warning Siren System" is used to warn people of potential dangers. It can be used to signal a variety of things," according to state government.
Those include:
- Alert: A single tone signifying an emergency alert. This signal may be used to inform the community of an emergency or disaster, including a severe storm, tornado warning (not a tornado watch), earthquake, chemical hazard/hazardous material incident, extreme winds, or biological hazard.
- Attack: An up-and-down, rising and falling tone to signify there is a homeland security or attack emergency. This signal would be used if community officials were notified by federal and/or state government officials of an actual or impending attack on the local community.
- All Clear: Many communities do not use an All Clear signal. Tune in to your local news agencies and listen for notification from city officials regarding the emergency.
Last week, tornadoes and severe storms struck parts of the Chicago area.
Weather
According to a damage assessment, an EF-0 twister, packing estimated winds of 80 miles per hour, moved along a 14-mile track between Boone and McHenry counties before crossing the state line into Wisconsin.
No deaths or injuries were reported in connection to the tornado, officials said, though a barn in McHenry County was damaged and multiple animals killed.
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A second tornado touched down near Michigan City, Indiana during the severe weather outbreak, causing vehicle and tree limb damage in both Porter and LaPorte counties, according to the University of Michigan.
