NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards (NWR) is a nationwide network of radio stations broadcasting continuous weather information directly from the nearest National Weather Service office. NWR broadcasts official Weather Service warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Working with the Federal Communication Commission's (FCC) Emergency Alert System , NWR is an "All Hazards" radio network, making it your single source for comprehensive weather and emergency information. In conjunction with Federal, State, and Local Emergency Managers and other public officials, NWR also broadcasts information for all types of hazards – such as wildfires and hazardous materials releases.

Known as the "Voice of NOAA's National Weather Service," NWR is provided as a public service by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), part of the Department of Commerce.

Where to get a Weather Radio

NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts on a special weather frequency, and you'll need a special radio to receive the broadcast. Weather Radios are available in electronics stores, some hardware stores, and your favorite online vendor.

Important features to look for

There are a few special features available on many Weather Radio receivers that make it more useful for emergency alerts:

• Tone Alert - This feature emits an alarm sound when warnings are issued by the National Weather Service. Your radio can be placed in a standby mode, and it will sound the alarm to alert you. A useful feature to help keep you safe overnight or when you are otherwise occupied.
• Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME) - Allows you to program your radio to alert only for your county. NWR transmitters cover multiple counties, and you might not want to hear the alarms for the next county over!
• Battery backup - Keeps your radio playing even when the power is out.

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