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The monthly Wednesday tornado siren test, a Minnesota tradition, traces its origins back to 1950s fears of a Soviet atomic bomb attack.

On the latest Curious Minnesota podcast, writer Dave Kenney and host Eric Roper discuss how Minnesotans responded to an evolving international threat during the Cold War.

Further reading:

Why does Minnesota test tornado sirens on the first Wednesday of the month? (April 2021 Curious Minnesota article)

Civil Defense in Minnesota, 1950–1974 (MNopedia article written by Dave Kenney)