The network is constantly upgrading its technology to provide the best weather reporting service possible for the nation. Weather radios equipped with a special alarm tone feature can sound an alert and give you immediate information about a life-threatening situation. During an emergency, National Weather Service forecasters will interrupt routine weather radio programming and send out a special tone that activates weather radios in the listening area. Click HERE for an example. They are especially valuable in places that are entrusted with public safety, 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.
Weather radios come in many sizes and with a variety of functions and costs.
To make use of the new digital coding technology, more sophisticated weather radio receivers are now available. New radios are available which feature NOAA Weather Radio Specific Area Message Encoding, or NWR-SAME, technology. These radios can be programmed to alert only for a specific area. Traditionally, severe weather announcements have used an analog tone of 1050 Hz to trigger alarms on special NOAA Weather Radio receivers. However, this tone is used for any watch or warning within a 40 mile radius of the transmitter, resulting in receivers sounding an alarm for a storm that may be well away from the listener.