The City of Newton will be conducting maintenance on the outdoor warning siren at Agnes Patterson Memorial Park on Wednesday. According to the Newton Fire Department, that siren may sound outside the usual 10 a.m. test tomorrow.

There are nine outdoor warning sirens in Newton that are designed to alert people who are outside when dangerous weather is approaching. The sirens are not meant to be heard indoors, especially at night or with windows closed. The guidelines for sounding the sirens include tornado warnings, winds of 80 mph or more, Hail 2.75” or larger, and spotter or emergency responder request. The Newton Fire Department says these guidelines match National Weather Service alerts and were updated in 2024.