Severe Weather

The City has recently received a few questions concerning severe weather and tornadoes. The City operates a tornado siren and only utilizes the siren if Cherryvale is under a tornado warning. Otherwise, the siren is not sounded. The City tests the siren once a week, Saturday at noon, weather permitting.

Cherryvale weather procedure:

1. When Cherryvale is under a tornado watch area shelters are notified, along with emergency personnel. No further action is taken at this time. The most up-to-date information can be found at http://www.nws.noaa.gov/, on a weather radio, or a local broadcast television. Weather radios are available at Newton's Hardware.

2. When Cherryvale is under a potential threat of a tornado, the City deploys fire and police units as spotters.

3. If the National Weather Service issues a Tornado Warning that includes Cherryvale and Cherryvale is in the path of the storm then the tornado siren is sounded. The siren is also sounded if spotters on the ground feel that Cherryvale is in the path of a tornado. Remember that a tornado siren is designed as an outdoor warning device and may not be audible indoors. If a threat of severe weather exists, please tune your TV to a local broadcast channel out of Joplin/Pittsburg or Tulsa. Also, 102.9 will interrupt its broadcast with weather bulletins.

4. Tornado Shelters--There are three tornado shelters in Cherryvale. The United Methodist Church, 305 W. 3rd Street, the First Baptist Church, 100 N. Montgomery, and the Cherryvale Public Library, 329 E. Main Street. Please contact the individual shelters for more information. Don't wait until the storm is upon us to go to the shelter. As soon as a warning is issued proceed to shelter, unless severe weather is already present. If the weather is already severe and it is unsafe to proceed to a shelter, take shelter in an interior room with no widows, preferably in the center of the house or building (i.e., closets and hallways).

5. The City does not issue an all clear. Please utilize a storm radio to find out the duration of a storm warning, and listen for the expiration, cancellation, or extension of the warning. Remember its very important to have a battery powered portable radio with you for storm information.