Outdoor Weather Sirens

Warning Activation

The following is the criteria for activation of the outdoor weather warning sirens for La Crosse County: 

• Tornado Warning issued by the National Weather Service.
• Tornado/funnel cloud reported by trained spotter.
• Reports of damaging winds.
  • 70 MPH or greater (whole trees blown down)
• Reports of damaging hail.
  • 1.75 inches or greater (hail begins to break windows when it reaches or exceeds golf ball size).

Siren Locations

• City of La Crosse
• Village of Holmen
• Village of West Salem
• Village of Bangor
• Veterans Memorial Campground
• Goose Island Campground

Sirens are tested first Monday of each month at 11 a.m.

Outdoor Warnings

Outdoor warning sirens are just one part of a community warning system. The sirens are intended to alert people who are outdoors that severe weather is imminent and are not effective for indoor warnings.

Imminent Weather Threat

When a warning siren is heard, people should take safety precautions by seeking appropriate shelter and obtaining additional information from weather radio, the internet or other media sources. Do not call 9-1-1 for information, but only to report actual emergencies that need immediate police, fire or emergency medical responses.

Weather Alert Radio

In the event of an actual warning, citizens should refer to local broadcast media (radio, TV, internet, etc.) for additional information. A weather radio tuned into NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) WSJ-86 (152.550 MHz) provides continuous weather information.

All Clear

There will be no “all clear” signal from outdoor warning sirens.

Monthly Tests

Sirens are tested on the first Monday of each month, between 11 and 11:30 a.m. If on a scheduled test day severe weather is forecasted, or La Crosse County is under a watch or warning, the sirens will not be tested. Outdoor warning siren tests will resume on the next scheduled monthly date.

For more information on how to prepare for severe weather and other emergencies, visit Ready Wisconsin