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Changes coming to severe thunderstorm warnings & Ottawa County's sirens

New categories are coming to the severe weather warning system, with the hope of better informing the public. Meteorologist Michael Behrens explains.

OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. — When you hear an outdoor warning siren, what is your first thought?

If you are like most, it's probably that a storm capable of producing a tornado is on the way! However, that is just one of the reasons a siren could be set off. 

In Ottawa County, sirens will be sounded for tornado warnings, tornadoes that have been spotted without a warning, storms producing winds over 70 mph sustained or for a hazardous material situation. Now, a new reason has been added: A severe thunderstorm warning where the storm has been flagged as "destructive" in the warning by the National Weather Service. 

So why the change and what does it actually mean?

Well, with severe thunderstorm warnings being issued for any storm with 58+ mph winds or 1 inch or larger diameter hail, all the way through monster storms producing 90+ mph winds and 3 to 4 inch diameter hail, new subcategories were created to better inform the public of the dangers associated with a storm. 

The new severe thunderstorm warning categories are as follows: 

  • Base -- Any storm with 58+ mph winds or 1" or larger hail. 
  • Considerable -- Any storm with 70+ mph winds or 1.75" or larger hail. 
  • Destructive -- Any storm with 80+ mph winds or 2.75" or larger hail. 

These categories will be signified by language used in the text of the warning, such as the term "considerable" in the "IMPACT" section. A destructive flagged warning will have a sentence similar to the following before the "HAZARD" line. 

"THIS IS A DESTRUCTIVE STORM FOR CITY 1 AND CITY 2."

A destructive flagged warning will also carry intense wording in the "IMPACT" section, such as "life-threatening" or references to "severe" injuries or "extensive" property damage likely to be caused by the storm. 

The new severe thunderstorm warning categories are expected to go into effect in late July, but the exact date could change.

-- Meteorologist Michael Behrens

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Email me at: MBehrens@13OnYourSide.com

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