If you don’t already have one, now is the time to purchase a NOAA Weather Radio as severe weather season begins to ramp up. I consider a NOAA Weather Radio as essential as a smoke detector. I recommend a NOAA Weather Radio with SAME (Specific Area Message Encoding) alerting, and I personally recommend the Midland WR120. It’s an overall affordable weather radio and easy to program. I personally own one of these and have bought some for family and friends. I recommend programming the weather radio to at least receive Tornado Warnings. For Arkansas residents, you can use promo code KARK to get a discount on the weather radio (for residents in other states, please contact your local TV station to see if they offer a promo code). If you need assistance programming your NOAA Weather Radio, leave a comment below, and I’ll be glad to reach out to you to assist.
A NOAA Weather Radio is a good first line of alerting for severe weather. It works even if your power and Internet goes out. It should be a part of your severe weather alert toolbox. The only issue with NOAA Weather Radios is they will alert you if anywhere in the county is under an alert, whereas alerts issued by the NWS are now based on a polygon. A good radar app such as RadarScope or Baron Critical Weather can show you polygon alerts to compare when the NOAA Weather Radio sounds a warning. I recommend supplementing a NOAA Weather Radio with a weather alert smartphone app such as WeatherBug or Baron Critical Weather.
Keep yourself protected during severe weather. Add a NOAA Weather Radio to your severe weather alert toolbox today!