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Weather Service Investigates False Tornado Warning

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Montgomery County emergency management officials say the office received a false tornado warning, and the National Weather Service is trying to pin down the source.

Charles Crisostomo, chief planner of the Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, says the false audio message came at 1:53 p.m. Wednesday, and the NWS contacted the office at 2:03 p.m. The Weather Service said there was no severe weather in the area.

He says the false notice was not broadcast to Montgomery County residents.

The Washington Post says three false severe weather warnings were inadvertently issued by the NWS in Sterling, Va., which serves Washington and Baltimore.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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