Beginning Nov. 1, Minot Central Dispatch will stop audible testing for the City of Minot Area Outdoor Warning System as well as the outdoor warning sirens located throughout cities in Ward County in preparation for colder weather conditions, according to Ward County Emergency Management.

The last audible test is scheduled to be conducted on Monday, Oct. 28, at 9:30 a.m. The outdoor warning sirens will still be tested on a regular basis using a “silent mode” to ensure they are still operating correctly internally.

This is done to protect the outdoor warning sirens during the winter months and ensure they remain operational, Ward County Emergency Management stated in a news release. An audible activation during cold weather could inadvertently damage the siren. Because of this, an audible activation in winter conditions would typically only be used during an actual emergency.

Regularly scheduled audible tests are expected to resume in May of 2025.