An example of a NOAA weather radio.

NOAA Weather Radio (NWR) is a nationwide network of radio stations broadcasting continuous weather information directly from a nearby National Weather Service office. NWR broadcasts National Weather Service warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information 24 hours a day.

Working with the Federal Communication Commission's (FCC) Emergency Alert System, NWR is an "All Hazards" radio network, making it your single source for comprehensive weather and emergency information. In conjunction with Federal, State, and Local Emergency Managers and other public officials, NWR also broadcasts warning and post-event information for all types of hazards – including natural (such as earthquakes or avalanches), environmental (such as chemical releases or oil spills), and public safety (such as AMBER alerts or 911 Telephone outages).

Known as the "Voice of NOAA's National Weather Service," NWR is provided as a public service by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), part of the Department of Commerce. NWR includes more than 940 transmitters , covering all 50 states, adjacent coastal waters, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the U.S. Pacific Territories. NWR requires a special radio receiver or scanner capable of picking up the signal.

This map shows the approximate coverage area of the Milford transmitter. Areas in white show where there is reliable coverage. Areas in green have marginal coverage. Red areas have no coverage from the Milford transmitter. (Source: NOAA)

Dickinson County is served by a NWR transmitter located west of Milford. Broadcasting on 162.550 MHz, this station covers all of Dickinson County as well as northern Clay County, western Emmet and Palo Alto Counties and southern Jackson County, Minnesota. This station alerts for warnings in Dickinson, Clay, Emmet, Palo Alto Counties as well as Jackson and Nobles Counties in Minnesota.

Many local electronics stores carry NOAA Weather Radios as do many online retailers. Most radios range in price from $25 to $50. Be sure to look for a radio with Specific Area Message Encoding (S.A.M.E.). This feature allows you to program your county code into the radio. This will eliminate receiving alerts that don't affect you. The county code for Dickinson County is 019059 (these are zeros, not O's). Click here to find codes for other counties in the United States.

For more information, visit the national NOAA Weather Radio website at www.weather.gov/nwr.