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Overview
NOAA Weather Radio (NWR) is a
service of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA), broadcasting on seven VHF Band frequencies ranging from
162.400 MHz to 162.550 MHz. These frequencies are outside the
normal AM or FM broadcast bands, thus are not found on the average
home radio.
These broadcasts originate from National Weather Service (NWS)
offices across the Unites States. As the Voice of the National
Weather Service, transmitter (antenna) sites provide continuous
broadcasts of the latest weather information. Broadcasts can be
heard as far away as 40 miles from the antenna site. However,
the effective range depends on several factors, including the
terrain, quality of the receiver, and current weather conditions.
NOAA Weather Radio provides dependable
and timely weather information at your fingertips. From day-to-day
weather forecasts to warnings of potentially dangerous storms,
NWR is always available, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The
broadcast schedule consists of taped messages which are repeated
every three to five minutes and are routinely revised to provide
up-to-date information.
During severe weather or other potentially hazardous events, the
regularly scheduled programming may be interrupted to substitute
severe weather (including warnings, watches, etc.) or other hazardous
informational messages. Special NWR receivers can be activated,
sounding an alarm indicating that important information soon follows.
In these situations, listeners should monitor their radios closely.
Tests of the warning alarm are normally conducted by NWS Louisville
every Wednesday between 11:00 AM and Noon local time.
In extreme cases, NWR can be used to alert the public of non-weather
related emergencies, such as earthquakes, toxic or chemical spills,
national attacks, or nuclear blasts.
Many local retailers or electronics stores sell NOAA Weather Radios.
Normal programming schedule for NWS Louisville's NOAA Weather Radio
- Regional Weather Synopsis - Summarizes the weather for the next 12 to 24 hours across the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys, including Kentucky and Indiana.
- Local 7 Day Forecast - Valid For the NOAA Weather Radio listening area.
- Hourly Weather Roundup - Summarizes current weather conditions for cities across Kentucky and surrounding states.
- Short Term Forecast - Forecast valid for the next 0 to 6 hours. Updated as often as necessary to reflect changing weather conditions and to enhance the local forecast.
- Climatic Information - Includes temperatures and rainfall, climatological normals, and accumulations.
- River Summaries - Stage and forecast information for the Ohio River as well as other river, reservoir, and lake data.
Other programming information as needed
- Public Information Statements - Give extra value added information, such as announcements, climatological anomalies, etc.
- Severe Weather Watches, Warnings, and Statements - Important information regarding the location and movements of severe thunderstorms, including wind damage, large hail, and/or tornadoes.
- Flood/Flash Flood Watches, Warnings, and Statements - Important information regarding the location and movement of heavy rain and flash flood producing thunderstorms and weather systems.
- Winter Weather Watches, Warnings, and Advisories - Important information regarding potential hazardous winter weather.
- Non-Precipitation Warnings and Advisories - Important information regarding potentially hazardous weather conditions not associated with precipitation, such as wind chill, heat, non-thunderstorm high winds, fog, frost, and freezes.
Specific Area Message Encoder (SAME)
New technology is now available in NOAA Weather Radio that allows listeners to obtain only the
warnings, watches, and other information which they desire to
receive.
This technology, called the Specific Area Message Encoder (SAME),
broadcasts the same information we always have had, but adds a
code that enables specially built receivers to receive only
the information the listener wants. This way the listener can
receive severe warnings, watches, and statements for the county he or she lives in only, if desired, and not information for other counties
in the overall NWR broadcast area.
All current and older model NWR receivers will receive
all information from the NWS, but only radios with the SAME
capability can be programmed to receive only information for specific
counties.
Since the SAME codes are fully compatible with the FCC's Emergency
Alert System, it is possible in the future that new television
sets, pagers, cellular telephones and other electronic devices
will be able to receive these SAME coded messages.
These new receivers are available at local electronics stores
in your area. If you have purchased a new weather radio with the
SAME capability and desire to program it for specific counties
in your NWR listening area, you will need the proper
county codes (FIPS). Also included is a listing of event codes
used by the National Weather Service to designate specific weather
events.
NWR Broadcasts in the NWS Louisville county warning area
- KIH41 - 162.400 MHz - Serving East Central Kentucky, originating from Louisville, with a transmitter site in Lexington (also rebroadcast from Madison County on 162.525 MHz)
- KIH43 - 162.475 MHz - Serving North Central Kentucky and South Central Indiana, originating from Louisville (also rebroadcast from Elizabethtown on 162.550 MHz)
- KIH44 - 162.550 MHZ - Serving South Central Kentucky, originating from Jackson, with a transmitter site in Somerset
- KIH45 - 162.400 MHZ - Serving South Central Kentucky, originating from Louisville, with a transmitter site in Bowling Green
- KZZ61 - 162.475 MHz - Serving parts of Hancock, Ohio, and surrounding counties with a transmitter near Whitesville
- KZZ62 - 162.475 MHz - Serving Cumberland and parts of surrounding counties with a transmitter near Forest Cottage/Burkesville
- KZZ63 - 162.525 MHz - Serving Taylor and parts of surrounding counties with a transmitter near Campbellsville
- KZZ64 - 162.450 MHz - Serving Meade and parts of surrounding counties with a transmitter near Ekron
Console Replacement System (CRS)
Automated computer-voice broadcasts now are available on NWR broadcasts. This personal computer-based broadcasting console, known as the Console Replacement System (CRS), automates the process of reading written information for broadcast on NWR.
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One of two PCs that comprise the NWR/CRS workstation at NWS Louisville. From the PC, broadcasted weather information can be programmed and monitored. Meteorologists also can record weather messages manually if needed. |
CRS automatically translates written NWS forecasts, warnings, and observations into synthesized-voice messages and schedule them for broadcast on NWR. This automated system provides faster broadcasts of severe weather watches, warnings, and emergency information over NWR because multiple warnings can be recorded and transmitted at once. This capability dramatically speeds up the broadcast of warnings during multiple severe weather events.
The automated technology also reduces the time it takes NWS staff to record NWR broadcasts allowing them to devote necessary time to forecast and warning duties.
CRS brings many benefits to the NWR network. Automating the process makes it easier for listeners to tune to NWR at particular times for the information they need. Forecast offices are able to broadcast particular forecasts and information, such as river forecasts or climate summaries, in time slots on a more regular schedule. In addition, updated hourly weather conditions always are recorded at the same time every hour, and forecasts and warnings are recorded and transmitted simultaneously. These capabilities allow NWR to be your most dependable source for accurate and up-to-date weather information. Most importantly to you, our listeners, CRS technology does not require any changes to weather band receivers.
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