The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Weather Radio All Hazards (NWR) is a network of radio stations broadcasting
NOAA’s National Weather Service (NWS) warnings, watches, forecasts and other
emergency information from nearby NWS offices 24 hours a day.
Known as the “Voice of NOAA’s National Weather Service,” NWR is provided as
a public service by NOAA. As of January, 2024, the NWR network included 1033
stations covering an estimated 95% of the U.S. population. The NWR network provides
coverage in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam,
and the Northern Mariana Islands, including adjacent waterways and coastal waters.
Mariners in or near port are highly encouraged to use NWR.
“The Voice of NOAA’s National Weather Service”
As an “all hazards” radio network, NWR is a single source for comprehensive
weather and emergency information. NWR broadcasts emergency warning and
post-event information for severe weather events and non-weather emergency
events. Warnings are broadcast for both natural (such as tsunamis and volcanoes)
Supporting NOAA’s Weather Ready Nation Initiative
and man-made (such as Amber Alerts, toxic chemical and biological releases, and
terrorist attacks) events as necessary. NWR is the primary actuator of the Federal
Communications Commission’s (FCC) Emergency Alert System (EAS). NWR is the only
federally-operated system broadcasting weather and emergency warnings to the
public. Reception of NWR broadcasts depends on reliable signal reception. Typically
a reliable signal can be received up to 40 miles from a station, assuming level terrain.
However, NWS stations in mountainous and urban areas may experience reduced
signal reception due to signal blockage.
NOAA developed Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME) for NWR. SAME is a
digital code that is sent with many warnings, watches, and emergency events. The SAME
includes the type of event, the applicable geographic area for the event, and how long
the event is valid. Specifically, Warnings are broadcast when
life-threatening events are in progress or are imminent,
Watches are broadcast when conditions are favorable
for certain events to occur, and Emergency event
messages can provide follow up information to an
event, or alerts for events that could potentially
become life threatening. SAME events are
transmitted to television/radio broadcasters
and cable operators to
Willow Creek
WZ2550 / 150
selectively activate the EAS to
warn listeners.
NWR receivers can be purchased at many retail
stores, boat and marine equipment stores, through
Hawk Point
WNG728 / 1000 mail order catalogues, and on Internet web sites that
sell electronic merchandise. They are also included in
many consumer electronic products such as auto, truck,
tractor, motorcycle, and marine radios; scanners and CB
radios; clock radios, FRS transceivers, radar detectors, and
television sets. NWR receivers equipped with SAME can
be programmed by the user to alarm for weather and other
emergency events in the specific areas desired by that user. SAME
geographic/ county code numbers for all parts of the country
Stinnett
KXI88 / 300 are available by telephone or on the Internet (see contacts
table). Broadcasts are available on seven unique frequencies
assigned to NWR (see legend, bottom of poster). SAME code
numbers are also assigned for NWS nearshore marine zones.
For those looking for the best performing NWR receivers, NWS
recommends devices that have been certified to Public Alert™ standards. The
Public Alert™ performance standards were developed in a cooperative effort by
NOAA, Environment Canada, and the electronics industry, and were established as
an international standard. These standards are managed by the Consumer Technology
Association (CTA). Receivers certified as meeting these standards carry the Public
Alert™ trademark. Public Alert™ receivers include SAME, can be programmed for
the type(s) of events you desire, have audio and visual alarms, and can operate in a
muted mode until activated by an emergency message. They also have battery back-
up and can activate external alarm devices (strobe lights, sirens, bed shakers, etc.) for
people with disabilities.
Some of the events that can activate Public Alert™ alarms are listed below:
911 Telephone Outage Flood Shelter In Place
Avalanche Hazardous Materials Special Marine
Blizzard High Wind Tornado
Child Abduction Hurricane Tropical Storm
Civil Emergency Radiological Hazard Tsunami
Extreme Wind Severe Thunderstorm Storm Surge
Additional information on Public Alert™ can be found on the CTA website at
BROADCAST http://www.cta.tech.
FREQUENCY POWER
Contacts for the NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards Program
Hawaii Kai (MHz) (Watts)
Craig Hodan 301-427-9678
WWF39 / 300
[Symbol Shape] [Symbol Color]
NOAA/NWS NWR Program Manager [email protected]
Maui
162.400 1000 Tim Schott 301-427-9336
WWG75 / 1000
162.425 NOAA/NWS Dissemination Services Lead [email protected]
162.450 SAME Geographic/County Code Directory
162.475 Phone 888-NWR-SAME (888-697-7263)
Internet http://www.weather.gov/nwr/counties
162.500
NWR Internet Website http://www.weather.gov/nwr/
162.525 NOAA PA 200352 Poster URL https://www.weather.gov/media/nwr/NWR_poster.pdf
162.550
South Point
WWG27 / 150
5 St Thomas
WZ2561 / 300
To report transmitter problems, email
[email protected], or call 1-888-886-1227.
Weather Forecast Office
January 2024
NOAA PA 200352 New sites established since January, 2023
