06/17/2026
Multiple rounds of severe weather are forecast for later today. It is a good time to reflect on how you receive watches and warnings as they are issued.
Ensure Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) are enabled on your phone. WEAs are issued for things such as Tornado Warnings, Severe Thunderstorm Warning with a Destructive Tag (Wind gusts of 80 plus mph and hail of 2.75 inches diameter or larger), and other emergencies.
Many weather apps (both free and paid subscriptions) send push notifications for weather watches and warnings. This may require you to adjust the settings on your phone to make this happen.
Apps such as the Cass County, Indiana Sheriff’s App can also send push notification for certain watches and warnings and may be used to push other notifications.
Charge electronic devices.
Have a radio that can receive local radio stations. Area station broadcasts are interrupted when emergency messages such as Tornado Warnings are issued for the area. Radio may continue to broadcast if phone connectivity is lost.
Check personal preparedness supplies. Tips for building a personal emergency preparedness kit can be found at: https://www.ready.gov/kit
Know if you are close to an outdoor warning siren. Warning sirens are intended to alert people outside to head inside and seek additional information. When a siren stops, it does not necessarily mean the hazard is over. Cass County Warning Sirens are activated when:
-The National Weather Service issues a Tornado Warning
-A trained spotter reports sighting of a tornado on the ground
-Neighboring county EMA or National Weather Service confirms tornado on the ground headed towards Cass County.
-Sirens are activated for the area where the warning is issued or tornado is observed. Not all sirens sound for all events.
-Opportunity to utilize spotters after dark is severely limited due to safety considerations, including rain wrapped nature of many midwestern tornados.
If you do have weather observations or experience damage, you can report to EMA via Facebook or email [email protected]. We share observations with National Weather Service, and in some cases gather additional information with site visits or drone overflights. This information helps to document the event, classify damage, and build the science that drives future watches and warnings.
We are proud to Serve Cass County 🇺🇸
