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Official warnings

Who warns you – and how?

We do not issue our own warnings. This page shows where real warnings come from, what sirens and colours mean, and which pages to keep handy.

AI image: a phone, a small radio and a folded map on a windowsill, rain clouds outside

Real warnings only come from authorities and official services. This page just explains them – in danger, what the authority says always counts.

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Warnings on your phone

In serious danger, authorities can send a message to every phone in an area. This is called cell broadcast. You need no app and no registration.

  • In Austria, cell broadcast is called “AT-Alert”. It adds to the sirens.
  • The messages are also published online – handy if you want to read them again.

Important: when a warning arrives, read all of it. And don't just switch the sound off.

Official pages

More on our site: Warnings on your phone: setting up cell broadcast and warning apps →

Siren signals

A siren tells you: attention, get information! What exactly is happening you then learn from the radio, TV, internet or warning app.

These are Austria's civil protection signals:

  • Warning3 minutes · steady

    A steady tone for 3 minutes. A danger is approaching.

    Turn on the radio or TV (ORF) or check online and do what they say.

  • Alarm1 minute · rising and falling

    A wailing tone that rises and falls for 1 minute. The danger is here.

    Go into a protective building right away and follow the announcements on radio, TV or online.

  • All clear1 minute · steady

    A steady tone for 1 minute. The danger is over.

    Keep following the information on radio, TV or online.

The picture shows the shape of the tone: the line goes up and down as the tone rises and falls.

No danger – these are tests or the fire brigade:

  • Siren test: every Saturday at 12 noon, short (15 seconds). Vienna has no weekly test.
  • Fire brigade signal: three times 15 seconds. It calls the fire brigade – it is not a warning for you.
  • Civil protection test alarm: every year on the first Saturday in October between 12 noon and 1 pm, all over Austria. You hear all the signals – there is no danger.

Official pages

More on our site: Understanding warning signals and sirens and responding correctly →

Weather and severe weather

Weather services warn of storms, thunderstorms, heavy rain, snow, ice or heat. The colour shows how dangerous it gets.

GeoSphere Austria uses these colours on its warning map:

  • Green – no warning
  • Yellow – warning
  • Orange – higher level
  • Red – highest level

The closer to red, the more dangerous. What to do is written in each warning.

Official pages

Avalanches

In the mountains, the avalanche report tells you how high the avalanche danger is. The level applies to a whole region, not to a single slope.

The European avalanche danger scale:

12345from 3: knowledge needed
  1. 1 · lowThe snowpack is mostly stable. Avalanches are possible only in isolated spots of very steep, extreme terrain.
  2. 2 · moderateOn some steep slopes an avalanche can be triggered, mainly by a heavy load such as a group.
  3. 3 · considerableDangerous: on many steep slopes a single person can trigger an avalanche.
  4. 4 · highVery dangerous: on many steep slopes even a light load is likely to trigger an avalanche. Large avalanches also release by themselves.
  5. 5 · very highExtraordinary: many very large avalanches release by themselves, even in moderately steep terrain.

From level 3 up, choosing the right terrain takes a lot of knowledge. Without training, stay on open, secured pistes.

Official pages

What to do? Our situation guide: I am out in winter and there is avalanche danger →

Floods and water levels

Gauge

In a flood, the water in streams and rivers rises. Gauging stations measure how high the water is. That way you can see early whether it is getting dangerous.

In Austria, each province has its own flood pages. Measurements from all over Austria are on eHYD.

Official pages

What to do? Our situation guide: There is a flood warning for our area →

How to read a warning

A good warning answers four questions:

  1. 1What? Which danger – for example storm, flood, fire.
  2. 2Where? Which town, district or area.
  3. 3From when until when? When it starts and how long it lasts.
  4. 4What to do? What you should do now, step by step.
Example – not a real warning
What?
Severe weather with storm and heavy rain
Where?
For: your town and the area around it
From when until when?
Today 4 pm until tomorrow 6 am
What to do?
Stay inside. Secure loose items. Avoid basements and underpasses.