Lansing, MI - Tornado Touched Down, But Sirens Never Sounded

[500AT]

LANSING, Mich. -- Chief Trent Atkins, Lansing Office of Emergency Mgmt.: "The sirens didn't go off because there was not a warning that was issued."

http://www.wlns.com/Global/story.asp?S=12623898

[Thunderboltlover]

It's just pathetic that they can't take some initiative and press the button to sound off the system when there is valid reason.

[Fletch]

A tornado hit last Sunday in Marysville, Ohio, only miles from where I live. It hit at about 5:30am and no sirens were sounded. No warning was issued and apparently nobody saw it. But it did destroy one home and damaged multiple others. Scary.

[jkvernon]

Part of the issue with warnings being issued (or not issued) has a lot to do with the terrain in central Ohio. We're situated in somewhat of a broad valley that spans from between Belfontaine to Mount Vernon. Because our NWS radar is well south of us in Wilmington and all weather radars are tilted upward slightly up to penetrate the clouds, there's quite a bit that is missed by the NWS because only what is far up in the storm is caught and not what is closer to the ground.

We've had several instances where rotation was detected by local weather radars from TV stations in Columbus, but they were missed by the NWS which meant a warning was never issued. Mount Vernon was hit by a small tornado in 2006 (I think that was the year) and that is exactly what happened. Mount Vernon/Knox County didn't sound their sirens until they began receiving calls reporting damage on the west side of town but the NWS never issued a warning because they didn't see anything on radar. That's obviously no isolated incident either.

I don't have much of a background in weather radar, but I would like to see a NWS office and radar site built in central Ohio to catch what the Wilmington and Cleveland NWS offices can't. Problems like this would likely be greatly reduced.

[Fletch]

You are exactly right. Up until the late '80s, I believe the NWS had an office in Columbus along with a WSR-74 radar at Port Columbus. I want to say it was disbanded in 1988/89.

Radar dishes do tilt upward and it would make sense that Central Ohio would be missed.

[bigloudnoise]

The same thing happened last weekend in Maquoketa, IA. An EF-1 tornado formed suddenly and went through the NE corner of town. The sirens didn't sound until several minutes after the tornado was already gone. They had the same excuse, the sirens weren't sounded because there wasn't a tornado warning in effect at the time.

[Oldiesmann]

The sight of a tornado isn't enough to sound the sirens, yet they want residents to know that the sound of the sirens means there's severe weather in the area. Where do they come up with these policies?

[Jim_Ferer]

I think the first thing to realize is the people of the NWS and most EMAs aren't stupid; they've been at it a while. They may not be right, though. I expect they get a lot of heat for sounding sirens 'unnecessarily;' so they get a little gun-shy.

As for radars, there ought to be a project to integrate these private radars into the public system; they've got a lot to contribute. There might need to be legislation to protect these sources from unjust liability.

In my opinion, we all ought to respect the difficulties and Catch-22s these public servants find themselves in. Our first response shouldn't be statements, but a question: "What's getting iin the way of things happening the way they should?"

[Thunderboltlover]

I think the first thing to realize is the people of the NWS and most EMAs aren't stupid; they've been at it a while. They may not be right, though. I expect they get a lot of heat for sounding sirens 'unnecessarily;' so they get a little gun-shy.

As for radars, there ought to be a project to integrate these private radars into the public system; they've got a lot to contribute. There might need to be legislation to protect these sources from unjust liability.

In my opinion, we all ought to respect the difficulties and Catch-22s these public servants find themselves in. Our first response shouldn't be statements, but a question: "What's getting iin the way of things happening the way they should?"

Agreed.

What kind of sirens does Lansing have?

[CJ]

2T22, and thunderbolts afaik.