Forsyth County installs weather warning gear

Forsyth County officials have added a new safety feature at a number of county parks.

The Thor Guard Weather Warning System is designed to predict lightning before it strikes and is now in place at all park department athletic facilities and at the Sawnee Mountain Preserve. Officials said the system’s designed to monitor atmospheric energy and predict the potential for lightning in a two-mile radius. If conditions become hazardous, a siren sounds and a strobe light pulses for 15 seconds. Three five-second siren blasts then indicate when the threat is over. The system alerts between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m.

Already in place at several parks, the system was installed at Bennett Park, Central Park, Coal Mountain Park, Fowler Park, Midway Park, Sawnee Mountain Park and Sawnee Mountain Preserve.