06/19/2026
One of our main goals is to help keep our communities safe and prepared for severe weather events and disasters/emergencies.
To do so, we use our emergency notification system, ReadyAlert, to alert Ashtabula County residents when an adverse event occurs. The system gives you the option to receive emergency messages via text, voice call, or email. If the timing is critical, such as a tornado event, the message is delivered by text or call only, not email. If you receive an email, it is through some other service.
Severe weather warnings are only sent to those residents who are in the path of the storm. Tuesday morning's tornado warning was issued for the central part of the county, moving in from NE Geauga County across through Rock Creek, Jefferson, and the Pierpont areas. If you did not reside within that path, you were not at risk and therefore did not receive a warning.
The best way to stay informed is to register for ReadyAlert. We recommend that you check your account annually to ensure that your information is current. It also allows you to select options for the types of messages you may receive. You can sign up for special event notifications, such as the County Fair.
Another option is to purchase a Weather Radio.
Ashtabula County does not have outdoor sirens. There are some counties/municipalities that still use them, we believe that sirens are not as effective as our notification system. Advancements in technology are slowly making them obsolete. A few reasons are:
1. They are outdoor sirens only. If you were able to hear a siren in your home, that was advantageous, but not the intent.
2. When a storm with high winds passed through, if you lived upwind of the siren, the hearing range was greatly reduced.
3. Many sirens were located in areas for years. As infrastructure grew, homes and businesses were built, creating barriers and again, reducing their effectiveness.
4. Sirens are expensive to maintain. Many communities have had to find alternative systems as the cost of maintenance exceeded budget capabilities. The number of companies that service them are decreasing.
If you have questions about signing up for ReadyAlert, please call us at 440-576-9148 and we willl assist you. We want you to be safe.
https://www.weather.gov/dvn/sirenFAQ While this National Weather Service FAQ page was created by their Quad Cities, Iowa office, the questions and responses are the same for anywhere.
An outbreak of severe thunderstorms is expected across portions of Illinois and Indiana tonight. Intense tornadoes, swaths of damaging gusts, and hail in excess of 2 inches in diameter possible. Tropical Storm Arthur will continue to produce strong winds across coastal Upper Texas and Louisiana toni...
