Atchison County siren test postponed to May 13 due to cloudy weather

Outdoor warning sirens across Atchison County will sound at 11 a.m. Wednesday, May 13, after cloudy weather pushed the monthly test back from its usual slot. Residents from Atchison, Kansas, to the county’s rural communities should expect the 15-siren system to activate, and if a neighborhood does not hear one, officials say not to treat the silence as an all-clear. Keep CodeRED alerts on by phone, text or email, monitor NOAA weather radio or local broadcast media, and be ready to move to shelter if severe weather is actually approaching.

Atchison County Emergency Management said the delay came because cloudy conditions made the originally planned test less suitable. The county normally tests the sirens on the first Wednesday of each month at 10 a.m. from March through November, weather permitting, so the new date keeps the system on its regular monthly cycle while accommodating current conditions.

The postponement does not change the county’s broader warning setup. Atchison County says its outdoor warning siren network includes 15 strategically placed sirens, and each one is automatically checked for communication twice daily at 3 a.m. and 3 p.m. The routine matters because the sirens are meant as an outdoor early-warning device for imminent severe weather, not as the county’s only alert method.

County guidance says the sirens may not be heard indoors, and they do not tell residents what kind of danger is coming or exactly where it is developing. There is also no all-clear signal after a siren, which means people should continue following weather information after the sound ends and should not wait for a second alert before taking action if conditions worsen.

For households, schools and businesses, the delay is a reminder to review emergency plans now, before severe-weather season reaches full speed. Atchison County also offers CodeRED alerts and sells NOAA weather radios at cost for $30 through CERT, giving residents several layers of warning beyond the outdoor sirens. The May 13 test will give the county another chance to confirm that those layers still work together when they are needed most.