Lang
5/15/26
With severe weather in this weekend’s forecast, Washington County Emergency Management is reminding residents of the county’s outdoor warning siren procedures.
A news release from the agency notes that the Washington County sirens will be activated for more than just a tornado warning. They will also be used when a storm has winds of 80 miles per hour or greater and/or large hail of two inches or more in diameter.
Johnson County adopted similar guidelines in 2011 after 32-year-old Jennifer Lewis was killed during a severe thunderstorm while camping at Lake MacBride. A large tree branch fell on Lewis’ tent during a storm that did not include siren activation because there was no tornado.
