Cape Girardeau tornado sirens scheduled for tests Wednesday

The city of Cape Girardeau and Southeast Missouri State University will test the tornado warning systems at noon Wednesday.

The siren blasts will last approximately three minutes. The test will not be held during dangerous weather.

The warning system notifies anyone outside citizens of any tornado warning issued in Cape Girardeau County.

Warning sirens indicate it's time to seek shelter and tune into media resources such as www.semissourian.com, television, radio, Internet, National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather radios (KXI-93 at 162.550 MHz) or other sources for weather and safety information.

Tornado warnings are issued by the National Weather Service when one has been sighted by an officially trained weather spotter or indicated by radar.

Tornadoes usually occur in the spring and summer months, but can happen at any time under the right weather conditions. They most often strike between 3 and 9 p.m., but have struck at all hours of the day and night.

The funnel clouds usually move from southwest to northeast, but have been known to move in any direction. Because of their highly erratic nature, it is imperative that citizens and their families are prepared to respond appropriately.

City siren locations include: Fire Station No. 1 at 1 S. Sprigg St; Arena Park; Kiwanis Park; Shawnee Park Sports Complex; and Cape County Park North. The City of Cape Girardeau offers an Adopt-A-Siren program; learn more by calling assistant fire chief Mark Hasheider at 334-3211.