09/03/2026
The Calloway County Office of Emergency Management will conduct a quarterly test of tornado warning sirens in Murray, Hazel, and on the Murray State University campus on Friday, September 4, at approximately 9:00 a.m.
The test will begin with the Murray State University siren systems, which produce both an audible tone and a spoken announcement. The City of Murray sirens will be tested next. The first sounding will be a wavering siren, representing the “alert” or “warning” tone. This will be followed by a steady siren tone indicating “all clear.” The City of Hazel sirens will be tested last. These sirens will also sound the warning tone followed by the all-clear tone.
Tornado warning sirens are activated when the National Weather Service issues a Tornado Warning that includes the cities of Murray or Hazel. Quarterly testing allows emergency management officials to verify the proper operation of each siren under controlled conditions, which can be difficult to assess during an actual severe weather event. The sirens are tested once each quarter in accordance with National Weather Service guidelines and the Calloway County Emergency Operations Plan.
If threatening severe weather conditions are present Friday morning, the siren test will be postponed to a fair-weather day. The current forecast calls for clear weather at the scheduled test time.
Residents are reminded that outdoor warning sirens are only one part of the community's warning system. Everyone is encouraged to have multiple ways to receive severe weather alerts and to remain prepared to take shelter when a warning is issued. Residents who have not yet registered for Calloway County's Hyper-Reach emergency alerting system are encouraged to do so. Registration is available on the county website at www.callowaycountyky.gov.
