Emergency Severe Weather Notifications

[cmcdar]

Spent six hours plus last night in Severe Thunderstorms and Tornado Watches and Warnings.

The thing that troubles me the most is - the LACK of notification. We did get notified by one of the Campground Hosts.

Last year, this exact time, my cell phone blared out and alarm and then an audible announcement. We knew of the Tornado Watch hours before the camp host came by.

I did get a notice regarding the thunderstorms BUT no such notice of the Tornado Watch.

I know I can purchase a stationary Weather Radio and I still might BUT I am traveling out of state and it is difficult to find out current county location and re-program the radio everytime we stop.

I have an android phone and I have spent hours searching thru Google Play for apps but all seemed to require constant data/internet connection.

I do have WEA enabled on my phone but I am troubled that I was NOT NOTIFIED regarding the Tornado Watch then Tornado Warning.

Anyone found a solution?

[CavemanCharlie]

cmcdar wrote:
Thanks all,

I did order one of the portable weather alert radios. It does not have to be "programed" ever stop (every other week).

Although I am eternally grateful to be notifyed, I would NEVER want to have to rely on it.

I asked that very same camp host if she was in the shelter. She said NO - we just sat it out in our MH. As did several other campground residents. Only a handful actually sought shelter as advised.

At the campgrounds I frequent the Park Host comes around ahead of time and lets you know of the impending storm. The bathroom is the shelter and we all just stand around, or inside, that until the storm passes. I carry my weather radio to the bathroom with me listen / and watch until the storm lets up enough and has passed.

[cmcdar]

Thanks all,

I did order one of the portable weather alert radios. It does not have to be "programed" ever stop (every other week).

Although I am eternally grateful to be notifyed, I would NEVER want to have to rely on it.

I asked that very same camp host if she was in the shelter. She said NO - we just sat it out in our MH. As did several other campground residents. Only a handful actually sought shelter as advised.

[dieseltruckdriv]

You won't get warnings days in advance, except from a storm that is well organized, and tracking for long distances, such as a winter storm, or hurricane. Thunderstorms are not that organized, but they can post hazardous weather notices a few days in advance, as has been stated.

I am surprised at how few people posting have weather radios, I wouldn't use my camper in the summer without one. It really is one of first things I set up on the inside.

You won't get warnings days in advance, except from a storm that is well organized, and tracking for long distances, such as a winter storm, or hurricane. Thunderstorms are not that organized, but they can post hazardous weather notices a few days in advance, as has been stated. I am surprised at how few people posting have weather radios, I wouldn't use my camper in the summer without one. It really is one of first things I set up on the inside.

This is the one I have. I would never expect a campground host to notify me of a possible storm. My well being is my business, not something I would trust to others, who are going to be worrying about themselves, and rightfully so.

[johnhicks]

And make sure it re-mutes after the warning statement is received. Years ago we had a Midland radio that didn't re-mute; we were away for a weekend when it went off and loudly blathered about the weather for two days. The neighbors weren't particularly pleased.

[SCVJeff]

Don't just go out and buy a "weather" radio.. any scanner can do that. Make sure it is SAME compatible so you can mute it and it will stay that way until an incoming alert unmutes it.

(Fixed spellin')

[nineoaks2004]

I have a portable weather Radio, it uses 120 V. 9 V battery and or a crank on the side in case everything else fails,also has a light and siren built in it has about 6-8 clicks on the station selector I just turn the knob until the station comes in.. Being portable I can carry it in the boat or anywhere else I desire,
it also has an alert setting too and will come on even if turned off

[RinconVTR]

Each of our TT's had NOAH radio built in, and I can tell you, IT WORKS.

We also rely on our cell phone apps. They work too!

When the NOAH radio alarm went off years ago when a tornado was sited near our campground our cell phones went off at the very same time. It woke everyone up (and all we could do was jump in the SUV - there was nowhere to go). The next morning our neighbor said he heard our alarms going off!

[cmcdar]

TyroneandGladys wrote:

dewey02 wrote:
I have a Midland weather radio which has a "Travel Mode" that automatically locates the NOAA weather station nearest to your county and locks into that broadcast. You don't need to reprogram anything, just need to push the Travel Mode button. It can be set to sound an alarm for any type of warning in your area.

X2

Thanks guys, I am checking these out!!!

[cmcdar]

Deb and Ed M wrote:

cmcdar wrote:

I am on my kindle everyday, while on the road, at not time have I EVER seen NOAA declare a Tornado watch or warning days in adnvance.

If you either read the Hazardous Weather Outlook at the top of any city's NWS page, or go to the bottom and read the "Forecast Discussion" (or check the Grphical Forecast in the menu bar on the right) you'll find that they usually DO give you at least 24 hours' advance warning of severe weather. Better yet, take the FREE Skywarn Spotter Training offered by local NWS stations every spring - that will teach you where to find information, PLUS recognize what the weather is doing

.


Yes, I see what you are saying here.

OR I could just get a weather radio that will alert me of any impending dangers.

Thanks for the info.

[johnhicks]

We have routinely seen severe-weather warnings a week out, via the NWS or TV. We have routinely seen tornado-watch warnings several days in advance, by NWS or Greg Forbes' Torcon updates. Of course all this is relayed on NWS weather radio.

I have on several occasion been woke up by the blaring NWS radio about a tornado watch tomorrow. I'm from Florida; a tornado watch is known as "tomorrow."

Then we cut to the chase; a Wunderground radar plot shows a vortex signature. Ten minutes later the sky turns green and the wind gets..well..nautical. A little while later the dweebs who got the warning from Houston TV trickle in to the bathhouse. After it's gone on by.

A half-hour later a county facility 20 miles away has been torn up and the dweebs trickle out.

I DID NOT GET NOTIFIED!! Not until it had gone by.

I notified myself by watching the Nexrad plots and since it was a heavy-weather situation I didn't go to sleep and depend on anyone else. This isn't bragging, it's NORMAL LIFE.

Someone who depends on others to notify them of dangers is known as "dead."

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

cmcdar wrote:

I am on my kindle everyday, while on the road, at not time have I EVER seen NOAA declare a Tornado watch or warning days in adnvance.

If you either read the Hazardous Weather Outlook at the top of any city's NWS page, or go to the bottom and read the "Forecast Discussion" (or check the Grphical Forecast in the menu bar on the right) you'll find that they usually DO give you at least 24 hours' advance warning of severe weather. Better yet, take the FREE Skywarn Spotter Training offered by local NWS stations every spring - that will teach you where to find information, PLUS recognize what the weather is doing

[TyroneandGladys]

dewey02 wrote:
I have a Midland weather radio which has a "Travel Mode" that automatically locates the NOAA weather station nearest to your county and locks into that broadcast. You don't need to reprogram anything, just need to push the Travel Mode button. It can be set to sound an alarm for any type of warning in your area.

X2

[jdb7566]

ken56 wrote:
Vigilance and common sense. That's about all I can add. Technology is wonderful most of the time, don't bet your life and welfare on it though.

X2, I might add, I wouldn't rely on, nor would I expect the campground host to alert me of possible severe weather. We are in south Alabama, 25 miles west of Pensacola, it was most certainly an interesting evening two nights ago.

[dewey02]

SCVJeff wrote:
I'm really not sure where the issue is here? You have listed all the things you have and how prepaired you are, and that's obviously a good thing. But then you complain you were not notified.... by who... NWS? Why is it with all your prep gear you do not have a $30 weather radio? If you want notification directly from the source, buy a weather radio... period. (snip)

X2.