If you rely on the plaintive shriek of the University of Iowa’s Power Plant steam whistle to measure the progress of your day, you might want to find some alternative for the next 48 hours. A wrist watch, say, or a sundial.

After this morning’s 8 a.m. blow, the whistle will be out of commission while routine maintenance is conducted on the steam line that gives it its distinctive voice. So no blow at noon, 1 and 5 p.m. today, or at 8 a.m., noon, 1 p.m. or 5 p.m. Wednesday.

Want to know more about the history of the university’s steam whistle? See this feature from April 18, 2011.