Tornado sirens were not sounded in Tulsa ahead of an EF-2 tornado early Sunday because the storm that spawned it intensified and moved too quickly.
Tulsa Area Emergency Manager Roger Jolliff confirmed Sunday afternoon the city's system of 98 tornado sirens was silent ahead of the tornado touching down because the storm passed into Broken Arrow in the time it took to confirm the tornado warning issued by the National Weather Service.
The weather service issued the tornado warning at 1:25 a.m.
Jolliff said he contacted emergency managers in Broken Arrow, who were able to sound their sirens to warn residents before the storm reached them.
Jolliff said sounding sirens after a tornado has passed is poor practice. He said that can contribute to residents feeling overwarned, citing Joplin residents who ignored warnings ahead of a tornado in 2013.
