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Cathy Wurzer and Madeleine Baran

Washington County's siren failure a sign of problems with Minnesota's warning system

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Minnesotans got a reminder this week that warning sirens aren't always the best way to find out potentially dangerous weather is coming. As a tornado swept through north Minneapolis, some residents said they couldn't hear the sirens over the noise of the storm.

And in Washington County, many sirens failed to sound for nearly 40 minutes. By then, the tornadoes had already passed and there was little damage in that area. But the story illustrates the inconsistency of Minnesota's emergency siren system.

MPR's Cathy Wurzer spoke with reporter Madeleine Baran who has been covering this story.