From the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration and the National Weather Service, the NWR is a nationwide network of radio stations that broadcast continuous weather warnings, watches and forecasts and general hazard information like earthquakes and volcano activity as well as non-weather related issues like hazardous chemical spills or child abduction announcements. For 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, it broadcasts across seven different VHF frequencies ranging from 162.400 MHz to 162.550 MHz, so it demands a specific type of radio.
According to NWR, the network has more than 850 transmitters that cover all 50 states, as well as Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the U.S. Pacific Territories. Each transmitter covers a 40-mile radius, giving you local coverage and updates. Programming is generally repeated throughout the day, every few minutes, going over the local forecast as well as general climate date and info on regional conditions and water. In emergencies, this programming is interrupted with updates such as tornado warnings.
Some weather radios have Specific Area Message Encoding, known as SAME, which you’ll want to get if you’re looking for hyper-local coverage. This allows you to program your receiver for your specific county so you will be alerted for weather or emergencies related to your area. Otherwise, your radio will pick up and alert you for any updates within that 40-mile radius.
