What is NOAA Weather Radio?
NOAA Weather Radio (NWR) is a nationwide network of VHF radio stations that deliver continuous weather information directly from your nearest National Weather Service (NWS) office. It broadcasts 24/7, providing not only forecasts and warnings but also real-time emergency alerts, often faster than any other alert system.
These broadcasts use a dedicated VHF frequency, meaning a specially designed receiver is required. When choosing a receiver, look for models certified with both the Public Alert and NWR All Hazards logos. This ensures compatibility with Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME) technology. SAME lets you filter alerts by location, so you're only warned about threats relevant to your area, avoiding unnecessary interruptions.
Why It Still Matters
In an era dominated by smartphones and push notifications, it's easy to overlook a dedicated radio system. But NOAA Weather Radio isn't just relevant, it's essential. Here's why:
- Unmatched Speed: NWR alerts go out within seconds of issuance. Weather apps and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) often lag by minutes, which is a critical delay when seconds matter. Certified radios will sound a loud alarm, even if muted, giving you a precious head start.
- Alerts Where Sirens Can't Reach: Outdoor sirens are meant for people outside. Inside your home or asleep at night, a properly configured NOAA Weather Radio can wake you up and keep your family safe.
- Rock-Solid Reliability: Unlike cell towers and internet-based services, NWR transmitters are built with multiple power backups and redundant links to NWS offices. During the June 21, 2025 storms that knocked out power to over 25,000 people in Bemidji, cell networks failed, commercial radio went silent, but NOAA Weather Radio WXM99 stayed on-air—delivering continuous, life-saving updates when everything else failed.
- Trusted Source: NWR is operated by the National Weather Service, not a private company. There are no ads, no subscriptions, no data tracking, just timely, unbiased alerts from experts whose sole mission is to protect life and property.
Case Study: The June 20-21, 2025 Storm and the Power of NOAA Weather Radio
When a violent, once in a lifetime line of severe thunderstorms swept across northern Minnesota in late June 2025, Bemidji faced historical damage. Winds topping 120 mph brought down trees and power lines, leaving more than 25,000 people in the dark. The cell network quickly got overloaded with people trying to make sense of what just happened, and some cell towers went offline. The commercial AM and FM radio bands were blanketed with eerie radio silence. But NOAA Weather Radio Station WXM99 remained online the whole time.
When Every Minute Counts
The National Weather Service sent out two PDS (Particularly Dangerous Situation) Severe Thunderstorm Warnings and two Tornado Warnings for the Bemidji area. The first Severe Thunderstorm Warning and Tornado Warning for Bemidji was sent out around 12:25 AM on NOAA Weather Radio Station WXM99. At this point the catastrophic severe thunderstorm was around 15 miles southwest of Bemidji closing in at 80 mph. This gave residents a mere but manageable 11 minutes to wake up if they were sleeping and get to their safe places. However, people who relied on phone alerts including WEA alerts experienced a 5 to 10 minute delay. This meant that instead of having 11 minutes to wake up if sleeping and get to their safe places, they had 1-6 minutes to do so, which is not manageable at all.
"I was getting the latest warnings [from NOAA Weather Radio] 5 to 8 minutes ahead of push notifications on my phone. That extra time saved lives." - Reddit user, June 21st Severe Thunderstorm Event
"My phone went off in the middle of the night, waking me up. I got to the basement and halfway down the winds started pounding the building. The power went out right as I made it down. I had little to no warning." - Bemidji Resident, June 21st Severe Thunderstorm Event
"I was downtown bar hopping and outside when I got the Tornado Warning alert on my phone. Maybe not even 30 seconds later, the wind hit. Thankfully I was able to find shelter." - Bemidji Visitor, June 21st Severe Thunderstorm Event
Community Lessons & Next Steps
The storm reinforced a key lesson: preparedness must include more than just cell phones and sirens. The National Weather Service's StormReady program encourages every household, school, and public facility to include a SAME-enabled, Public Alert certified NOAA Weather Radio in their emergency toolkit.
- Encourage installation of NWRs in homes, workplaces, schools, and other public-facing venues
- Integrate NWR into local emergency response protocols
- Promote public awareness and training on severe weather safety
Coverage Areas
Bemidji WX streams NOAA Weather Radio audio from the following transmitters:
- WXM99 - Bemidji
- WWG98 - Park Rapids
- WWF83 - Grand Forks / East Grand Forks