NOAA Weather Radio

What is NOAA Weather Radio?

NOAA Weather Radio is a 24 hour a day...7 day a week continuous broadcast of weather information. With the touch of a button, the current conditions, 7 day forecast, and other pertinent weather information is available whenever you want it. More importantly is the ability to get severe weather information the moment it is issued. Most weather radio models have an alert feature that will be activated to alarm you of any watch or warning issued for your area. Many have SAME technology that will only alert you for the county (or counties) you are interested in.

Weather radio came into being in 1972, and was designated by the White House as the sole government-operated radio system to provide direct warnings into private homes for both natural disasters and nuclear attack. This concept has been expanded to included warnings for all hazardous conditions that pose a threat to life and property.

Generally, each NOAA Weather Radio transmitter has a listening area of approximately 40 miles from the transmitter site. Reception of the signal will vary depending on the quality of the receiver, local terrain, and distance from the transmitter. About 97 percent of the United States' population can receive a weather radio signal.

NWS-La Crosse's NWR Transmitters

(click on the transmitter name for details,
or use the pull-down menu under the map)

nwr image map
*colored rings represent approximate broadcast distance*

Transmitter coverage by state:
Iowa	Minnesota	Wisconsin

SAME
(Specific Area Message Encoding)

More than just weather, NWR is "all hazards"
NWR and severe weather
NWR wherever you are
NOAA Weather Radio details
Don't know where to get a NOAA Weather Radio? Try some of these manufacturers.