McCook County Emergency Management

06/01/2026

These images are later shortly before they issued a second Tornado warning for this cell. Just west and south of Canistota.

06/01/2026

Since tonight has generated lots of questions again. We have a standard process for weather sirens.

All McCook County Cities have installed outdoor warning siren systems to provide an additional warning of impending danger from threatening weather. As their name implies, our sirens are pre-incident warning devices manufactured and installed to be heard when people are out-of-doors or outside of their homes or other buildings. Although the outdoor warning sirens are often heard inside buildings, they are not designed or installed specifically to be heard inside buildings within their geographic coverage area.

When the National Weather Service initiates a Tornado Warning for any portion of McCook County, the local 911 Center in Mitchell (PSAP) will send a county-wide tone that simultaneously sounds all sirens in McCook County.

If you'd like to read the entire Document For severe Weather Emergencies here is the link.

https://www.mccookcountyem.com/_files/ugd/bc65c1_1b02a1e5b5e74e64af45b0f678d24cea.docx?dn=Appendix%205%20Severe%20Weather%20Emergency.docx

06/01/2026

Here is the cell / Rotation that caused all the ruckus tonight in McCook County. This was taken from Hwy 81 South of I-90 @ 18:05 from my truck.

05/30/2026

05/25/2026

05/24/2026

This afternoon and tonight.

05/24/2026

**THIS POST CONTAINS OUTDATED INFORMATION.**
A few stronger storms are expected starting this afternoon mainly along and east of a Wagner to Howard to Arlington line. The primary hazards will be large hail up to 2 inches and damaging winds up to 65 mph. Make sure to have multiple ways to receive warning information!

05/19/2026

Protecting local
pollinators

What is a swarm?
Swarming is how honey bee colonies reproduce. Thousands of bees leave their hive with their queen to find a new home, a hollow tree, a wall cavity, or wherever their scouts lead them. If you spot one clustered somewhere it shouldn't be, stay calm. They're not aggressive. Report it free on Swarmed and a local beekeeper will take it from there.

Not sure what you're looking at? Report it anyway. Whether it's honey bees, wasps, hornets, or bumble bees, we'll help point you in the right direction.

Using Swarmed is free. Beekeepers may quote a fair price if the bees are hard to reach or if it turns out to be an established hive rather than a swarm.

05/14/2026

RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM TO 7 PM CDT THURSDAY FOR
WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY