MINOT, ND (KXNET) — Don't be alarmed if you don't hear the monthly warning sirens in the coming winter months. The primary use of the warning sirens in Minot is to alert neighbors about inclement weather and tornadoes. They do audible tests with the sirens on a twice-monthly basis throughout the spring and summer to make sure they are in working order when they do need them. Every year at the end of October, Minot Central Dispatch pauses the audible testing for several months. Financial micro-stresses that are stressing North Dakotans They do this during the cold winters to preserve the equipment. "The reason we put out the release we are stopping it is so people who live by warning sirens when they no longer hear them we don't want them thinking their warning siren that they live near is broken or it doesn't operate anymore. We just discontinue the audible testing over the winter months to help preserve the life span of the siren," said Ryan Summers, a 911 coordinator and Public Information Officer for Ward County Emergency Management. November 1 is when they will stop the audible testing. They will continue to test the sirens in silent mode to make sure they are still receiving a signal. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Today's Top Stories SIGN UP NOW