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December 3, 2001 — What's the weather? Thanks to NOAA Weather Radio, you'll always have the answer to that question and access to potentially life-saving emergency information whenever you need it. Not only does NOAA Weather Radio provide weather reports and information to help you plan your day, but it broadcasts special National Weather Service warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information 24 hours a day. NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts warnings (as well as post-event information) for all types of hazards, both natural (including earthquakes, volcanic activity, tornadoes, thunderstorms, and floods) and technological (such as chemical or oil spills). Furthermore, NOAA Weather Radio is an "all hazards" radio network, available to national, state, and local emergency manager's for use in disseminating information on non-weather hazardous conditions and events. It is also the primary trigger for the Federal Communications Commission's Emergency Alert System, making it the single, most comprehensive weather and emergency information source available directly to the public. (Click NOAA image for larger view of NOAA Weather Radios from various manufacturers.)

Known as the "Voice of the National Weather Service," NOAA Weather Radio is provided as a public service by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It is a nationwide network of radio stations broadcasting continuous weather information direct from a nearby NWS forecast office. When you purchase a NOAA Weather Radio receiver, you gain direct access to part of the NWS network and the same weather reports and emergency information that meteorologists and emergency personnel use—that can save your life!

To tune in to NOAA Weather Radio you need a radio receiver or scanner capable of picking up VHF high-band FM frequencies (reports air on one of seven VHF high-band FM frequencies between 162.400 and 162.550 megahertz). Currently, the NOAA Weather Radio network has more than 800 stations, covering the 50 states, adjacent coastal waters, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the U.S. Pacific Territories. Broadcasts can be heard within a 40 mile radius of any given NOAA Weather Radio station, however, its effectiveness depends on the receiver location, terrain, quality of the receiver, and indoor/outdoor antennas. For the latest list of frequencies and transmitter locations, check the NOAA Weather Radio Web site.

Click image for larger view of NOAA Weather Radio stations across the USA.
Click here to see high-resolution version of this image at 316 dpi.

Each National Weather Service forecast office can modify its broadcast to suit local needs. Routine programming is updated every one to three hours, repeated every few minutes, and consists of current regional conditions along with local and marine forecasts (additional information may include river stages, climatic data, etc.). During emergencies, routine broadcasts are interrupted for warnings, watches and other critical information.

NOAA Weather Radio receivers are available at most consumer electronics stores and similar retail outlets for as little as $25 and up to $100 or more (depending on the quality of the receiver and number of features). Receivers come in many sizes and with a variety of functions—simple, battery-operated portables, to CB radios, scanners, and short wave and AM/FM radios (including car radios). Individuals with hearing and visual impairments can also utilize specially-designed NOAA Weather Radios by connecting them to other kinds of visual or audible attention-getting devices (including strobe lights, bed-shakers, personal computers, pagers and text printers). When shopping for a receiver look for the following features:

• Alarm Tone: When the NWS issues severe weather or other emergency announcements for your area, an alarm tone sounds an alert (i.e., a high-pitched 90 decibel tone similar to what is heard on some telephone transmissions), which is immediately followed by important information regarding the current situation. If you are listening to your NOAA Weather Radio, the alarm tone will interrupt routine NOAA Weather Radio programming. However, you can also program your NOAA Weather Radio to sound the alarm tone automatically if you have your radio plugged in and on mute or stand-by mode. This feature has proven to be especially useful for waking-up sleeping residents when dangerous situations strike at night.

   

• Specific Area Messaging Encoding: The SAME feature allows listeners to pre-select the specific geographic area (counties or in some cases portions of counties) where they want to receive NWS alerts. This feature prevents the NOAA Weather Radio receiver from automatically turning on when the forecast office issues watches and warnings for areas that don't impact (or are not of interest to) you. Some SAME-capable receivers can even be programmed to monitor for alerts in multiple counties simultaneously, a feature which is especially useful if you work and live in different counties (if this feature is important, be sure to check for its availability in whatever brand of SAME-capable receiver you purchase).

   

• AC adapter and battery compartment: A good receiver should be able to operate on batteries if and when electrical services are interrupted. Note, however, that battery-operated portable NOAA Weather Radios are ideal for outdoor activities and/or areas without electricity.

   

• Tunable or switchable to all seven NOAA Weather Radio frequencies (ranging between 162.400 and 162.550 megahertz (MHz)): Some older models receive only three frequencies and, therefore, do not work in all locations.

On countless occasions NOAA Weather Radio has saved many lives and public safety experts agree that receivers should be standard equipment in every home and public place (including hospitals, schools, places of worship, nursing homes, restaurants, grocery stores, recreation centers, office buildings, sports facilities, theaters, retail stores, bus and train stations, airports, marinas and other public-gathering places).

The NWS is constantly updating its systems with improved radar, satellites, automated weather observing systems, supercomputers and telecommunications capabilities (including a new voice for NOAA Weather Radio) aimed at saving lives and preserving property. Likewise, the NOAA Weather Radio network is expanding its coverage by installing new stations in unserved areas. However, countless success stories, expert advice, state-of-the-art forecasting technology and widely available warnings and forecasts are of little value if the people who need NOAA Weather Radio information don't get it in a timely manner. Unfortunately, NOAA Weather Radio remains one of the best kept secrets in the United States. While about 84 to 89 percent of Americans are within range to receive NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts, estimates suggest that only a small percentage of Americans have a NOAA Weather Radio. NOAA Weather Radios with alarms are the surest and quickest way to protect you and your family. NOAA Weather Radios advise people about severe weather (and other emergency) situations, buying them valuable extra time to react before a dangerous situation strikes their area. All it takes is for you and your community to purchase a NOAA Weather Radio and you, too, can benefit from this important life-saving service.

Relevant Web Sites
NOAA WEATHER RADIO GETS NEW VOICE

The Old and New Voices Can be Heard on the NOAA Weather Radio Web site

National Weather Service – Filler Facts

Media Contacts:
George Wilcox, NOAA Public and Constituent Affairs, (202) 482-0869

Susan Weaver, NOAA's National Weather Service, (301) 713-0622

John Leslie, NOAA's National Weather Service public affairs, (301) 713-0622