We're Under the Weather.
It's storm season in the Texas Panhandle. Good news: chance of rain. Bad news: chance of severe weather like tornados. Ugly news: chance of hail damage. So how do you get the information you need to protect your family from the bad and the ugly?
A friend of mine, M. Martinez, came up with her list of favorite weather alert tools. I consider her a weather guru of sorts, and eagerly perused her list. Then I asked if I could share it on the blog, and she said yes.
This is by no means a complete list, or an official one. But with all the changes in technology, it's a good idea to know about new options out there. So here we go.
NOAA Weather Radio - If you are at home or work, best way to receive warning. I like the Midland one, you can get them at Uniteds for 29.99 and program it with the SAME Code for your county. Don't forget to add batteries in case power goes out.
Local Media - All 3 stations do a pretty good job to keep you up to date. And radio too with some smaller radio stations with continuous live coverage.
Smartphone Apps:
iMap WeatherRadio - you can add different locations and specify what you want to be alerted on. Pretty slick app.
Social Media:
Use the #txwx hashtag in Twitter/Tweetdeck and you'll get reports & alot of the 'virtual chasers' input on the outlook or warnings
Follow iembot_ama. This is an automatic posting by the NWS Amarillo office. You'll get alot of the discussion links but the warnings and storms reports go out too. Maybe adding it to go straight to you as a text message during heightened severe weather days would be good.
Facebook/Follow local media & your local NWS
Other Alert Text/Voice Options:
Weather Channel Alerts - Free Email/Text for some providers. https://registration.weather.com/ursa/alerts/step1?&initAlerts=SVR
Nofify! Calls you to alert you if a warning is issued. Costs a little but an option for those without internet/text.
http://www.weather.com/services/notify.html
Other Information Avenues:
Emergency Radio - I use 5-0 Radio on my cell phone. But you can also find it online at: http://www.radioreference.com/apps/audio/ Gives you a heads up on the trouble spots
NOAA streaming Weather Radio - If you are in the Amarillo area that is 1610AM on the radio or you can go to our website on the side panel to listen (oem.amarillo.gov)
There you go! Be safe, and pray for rain. Just rain.
A friend of mine, M. Martinez, came up with her list of favorite weather alert tools. I consider her a weather guru of sorts, and eagerly perused her list. Then I asked if I could share it on the blog, and she said yes.
This is by no means a complete list, or an official one. But with all the changes in technology, it's a good idea to know about new options out there. So here we go.
NOAA Weather Radio - If you are at home or work, best way to receive warning. I like the Midland one, you can get them at Uniteds for 29.99 and program it with the SAME Code for your county. Don't forget to add batteries in case power goes out.
Local Media - All 3 stations do a pretty good job to keep you up to date. And radio too with some smaller radio stations with continuous live coverage.
Smartphone Apps:
iMap WeatherRadio - you can add different locations and specify what you want to be alerted on. Pretty slick app.
Social Media:
Use the #txwx hashtag in Twitter/Tweetdeck and you'll get reports & alot of the 'virtual chasers' input on the outlook or warnings
Follow iembot_ama. This is an automatic posting by the NWS Amarillo office. You'll get alot of the discussion links but the warnings and storms reports go out too. Maybe adding it to go straight to you as a text message during heightened severe weather days would be good.
Facebook/Follow local media & your local NWS
Other Alert Text/Voice Options:
Weather Channel Alerts - Free Email/Text for some providers. https://registration.weather.com/ursa/alerts/step1?&initAlerts=SVR
Nofify! Calls you to alert you if a warning is issued. Costs a little but an option for those without internet/text.
http://www.weather.com/services/notify.html
Other Information Avenues:
Emergency Radio - I use 5-0 Radio on my cell phone. But you can also find it online at: http://www.radioreference.com/apps/audio/ Gives you a heads up on the trouble spots
NOAA streaming Weather Radio - If you are in the Amarillo area that is 1610AM on the radio or you can go to our website on the side panel to listen (oem.amarillo.gov)
There you go! Be safe, and pray for rain. Just rain.