Minneapolis, early in the morning.

Minneapolis, early in the morning. (Photo: skeeze/CC0)

Even infrastructure has to let loose sometimes.

Around 6:10 a.m., Minneapolis’s civil defense sirens all went off at once, jolting much of the citizenry out of bed and to their windows—where they found clear skies, empty roads, and a distinct overall lack of emergency.

“It confused people, [and] caused a flood of 9-1-1 calls to the Minnesota State Patrol Dispatch,” reports ABC 5 Minnesota, who attributed the mistake to “a software malfunction.”

It also set off a rash of morning snark on Twitter. Accidental early-risers used the extra time to wish for snooze buttons, request city-sponsored coffee delivery, and make fun of the Twins.

As the Minneapolis Star Tribune detailed at the time, the city upgraded its emergency warning system in 2014, adding a dozen new sirens and enabling digital activation for the whole shebang.

Because it is “Severe Weather Awareness Week” in Minnesota, residents should expect to hear their favorite wake-up call again on Thursday afternoon at 1:45, just in time for siesta.

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