Some weather radios have the capability to receive a tone alert signal, triggering a built-in alarm to warn listeners of severe weather announcements. But despite hundreds of real-life stories like those mentioned above, NOAA Weather Radio remains one of the best kept secrets in the United States. And it s a costly secret, according to Stanley Johnson, NOAA Weather Radio program manager. In many regions, National Weather Service offices tailor their NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts to suit local needs and commercial interests. For example, broadcasts in New England may focus on marine weather conditions for recreational boaters and fishing and shipping vessels.
Routine information is updated every one to three hours, and the broadcasts continuously repeat.
Weather stations immediately interrupt regular reports when a severe weather situation requires a live alert or warning. NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts began in the 1950s when the old Weather Bureau started broadcasting aviation weather over two stations. In the 1960s, stations were added for the marine community, and by the late 1970s, the system included more than 300 stations. Now more than 450 transmitters provide coverage to most of the Nation s population. In 1975, NOAA Weather Radio became the only government-operated radio system for providing direct warnings to private homes for natural and technological hazards.