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Police explain new WeatherWarn siren activations as residents report confusion
Summary
The chief of police told trustees the village joined a multi-jurisdiction WeatherWarn system and that National Weather Service guidance now allows siren activations for 70 mph straight-line wind events as well as tornado warnings; trustees and residents raised concerns about inconsistent voice messages and phone alerts.
The chief of police briefed the Village Board on April 21 about recent siren activations after Vernon Hills joined a consortium-based WeatherWarn activation system shared with neighboring jurisdictions.
He said the National Weather Service updated guidance in August 2025 to expand the kinds of severe events that can justify community siren activation and that the village's new system is linked to NWS tracking. "When the National Weather Service determines that part of our community is in the path of a…
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