How the Warning System Works

Background

An improvement in how the National Weather Service defines warning areas has resulted in significantly higher accuracy and smaller warned areas, compared to the decades-old county-wide warning method.

Example of County-Wide Warnings vs. Precision Storm-Based Warnings

The WeatherCall system is continuously monitoring the National Weather Service’s NOAA Weatherwire.

Using GIS (mapping databases), the old style county-based warning versus the precision storm-based warning that continually monitors and follows just the path of the storm

The WeatherCall subscription system compares a subscriber's specific registered location to the location of the National Weather Service's precision warning area.

When a storm-based severe weather warning includes any subscriber's registered location, the system will automatically call all the telephone numbers simultaneously, delivering a meteorologist’s warning message, and send a message to all registered email addresses/mobile devices with a graphical depiction of the warning on a localized, interactive Google map.

The BETA Version - Statewide Map

This BETA Version of a statewide map is a test to develop a Storm-Based Warnings Map that displays only those small warning area polygons that correspond directly with the National Weather Service's Weatherwire severe storm paths. The map is updated with information once every minute. Someone viewing the map can zoom in on a specific area and see what might be affected. We are also interested in seeing what else might work with this map to allow warnings to be delivered to more people.

The map is updated with information once every minute. If no polygons are visible, then no warnings are taking place.

See also the Frequently Asked Questions Page