NOAA All Hazards Radio

While we know that outdoor warning sirens provide alerts for you to seek shelter outdoors, have you wondered how to receive information if you are indoors? The NOAA All Hazards Radio is the answer! It is your “indoor warning siren”. The NOAA All Hazards Weather Radio broadcasts official weather service warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The National Weather Radio (NWR) system works in conjunction with the Federal Communications Commission Emergency Alert System. NWR is an “All Hazards” radio network, making it your single source for comprehensive weather and emergency information. NWR broadcasts warning and post-event information for all types of hazards that the City of Grapevine might face including:

    Picture of Weather Radios
  • Tornado Watches and Warnings
  • Severe Weather Watches and Warnings
  • Extreme Heat Watches and Warnings
  • Hazardous Materials Spills
  • Chemical Releases
  • Oil Spills
  • AMBER Alerts
  • 911 Telephone Outages
  • National Emergencies

Unlike the first NOAA weather radios which broadcast to multiple counties at once, present day radios employ new technology called Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME). SAME provides specific, timely information in a digital format on the nature and location of a threat to those most immediately at risk from severe weather hazards. The SAME six digit identification for Grapevine is 048439. By tuning your weather radio to this frequency, listeners receive only messages and information for Tarrant County.

Many different types and brands of weather radios are available and it is important to utilize one that includes NOAA Weather Channels in the description, as well as SAME technology to filter broadcast messages. It is also recommended to choose a radio with a “programmable alert” function so that you can choose to receive only those alerts that you determine are critical. These radios are available through online outlets, discount stores, pharmacies and electronic retailers.

NOAA Weather Radios have also been specially developed to provide alarms and alerts to the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. The radio can provide up-to-the-minute warnings of hazardous conditions, dangerous weather, and other public alert messages. The National Weather Service has a webpage devoted toweather radios for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. The webpage includes frequently asked questions, links to weather safety tips, and links to specialty retailers that sell weather radios for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.