COLUMBIA, MO (April 22, 2011) -

The Columbia/Boone County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) activated the outdoor warning sirens across the county Friday evening at approximately 5:15 p.m. as a result of the National Weather Service issuing a tornado warning for southeastern Boone County.  There were reports of nickel to golf ball-sized hail, heavy rain and high winds.  A trained storm spotter also spotted a wall cloud near Old Hartsburg Bottoms Road, just east of Grimes Road.

“There are no reports of significant damage from the storm,” says OEM Director Zim Schwartze.  “We’d like to remind everyone that the outdoor warning sirens are sounded across the county, no matter which portion of the county is affected by a tornado warning.  In addition, the sirens are not sounded a second time to indicate an ‘all clear’.  We cannot emphasize enough that citizens should make it their responsibility to keep informed of the current weather conditions affecting our area and businesses should follow their own procedures for sheltering and releasing customers and employees.”

The Office of Emergency Management encourages residents to continue to monitor their local media and NOAA weather radios through the weekend for further weather information.  During severe weather, residents are asked to refrain from calling 9-1-1 during a storm unless a life-threatening emergency is actually occurring.  For all other storm related calls, contact local utilities or the Public Safety Joint Communication non-emergency line at #573-442-6131.