Set the timer to 45 seconds

Online timer for 45 seconds

Stay beside the radio, phone, or outdoor siren you are checking and listen closely for the full 45 seconds of a tsunami-warning drill. You may be comparing the sound with normal traffic, wind, or household noise, so remaining nearby helps you notice whether the signal stays clear from its opening tone to its final pulse.

Listening through several countdowns in succession can help when a local exercise tests more than one warning source. Let each interval finish before beginning the next, and use the quiet gap to shift your attention from a phone alert to a radio message or neighbourhood siren. Keeping each round separate makes it easier to remember which signal was audible and which was partly masked.

While you remain near the signal, hot weather can change what you hear and how comfortably you can keep listening. An open window may admit cicadas, road noise, or the hum of a fan, while closing it may muffle an outdoor siren. Choose one listening position for each complete interval, then change the window or fan setting only between rounds so the comparison remains meaningful.