Weather Radio (Image via Midland)
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Central Texas' severe weather season runs from March 1 through early June. While severe weather can occur year-round, the spring months usually bring the highest concentration of wind, hail, tornadoes, and flash floods.
Good forecasts and early warnings are only useful if these warnings reach you. KXAN Meteorologist Nick Panin spoke with Kylie Peterson, radio safety specialist at Midland, a two-way radio and weather company, about the importance of adding a weather radio to your safety tool belt.
KXAN Meteorologist Nick PaninFor those who don't know: What is weather radio?
Kylie Peterson, Wireless Safety Specialist, Midland: A weather radio is a simple device, and it's really great for the severe weather season. As soon as the National Weather Service or your county emergency manager issues an alert, like a tornado watch or a warning or a severe thunderstorm warning, you'll receive an alert through that radio and they'll actually give you instructions on what to do anticipate that storm and give you some advice about How to find safety and shelter.
Other: What is the difference between a weather radio and an emergency radio?
Peterson: Well, a NOAA weather radio like this is perfect for home use or keeping at your job or school, because it is programmed for that specific county you are in. An emergency alert radio is a portable thing…that information is still available from the NOAA weather radio, but it's, you know, programmed to the area you're pulling from. So, as you move, it gives you the latest information about that specific area you are in.
Other: Now for those people who think they are familiar enough with weather apps on their phones, why is having a weather radio still a valuable tool?
Peterson: We always encourage people to have multiple, frequent ways to receive alerts, and NOAA's weather radio and cell phones are just a few of those options. However, we know that in storms cell phone towers can be destroyed, whether they are exposed to the wind or even the hurricane itself. Or they could get overwhelmed by people in the network using that particular sign. So sometimes you may not receive these alerts. So it's important to have another way to receive those alerts.
Other: Now are these radios easy to set up?
Peterson: Yes, the NOAA weather radio is very easy to use, all you have to do is put in the batteries and program your county so that you only get those alerts for that specific area, so you are not over-alert. And then you can leave it as is and in the background it will just monitor, like an indoor smoke alarm, and it will go off and it will be the indoor hurricane siren that will bring you the latest news when you need to know it.
