The National Weather Service has announced that a new NOAA Weather Radio frequency began broadcasting in Fremont County on Friday, October 6th. The 24 hour weather reports can be heard on 162.500 mhz and are broadcast from a new tower site on Twin Mountain west of Canon City.
The weather broadcasts can typically be heard within a 40 mile radius of the transmitter depending on terrain. Bill Fortune, Meteorologist in Charge at the National Weather Service Office in Pueblo, told the Fremont County Commissioners that efforts to locate a NOAA Weather Radio transmitter in Fremont County have been ongoing for the past decade.
Fortune said the tone alert feature available on the low cost weather radios supports efforts by both the Department of Commerce and Homeland Security. Fortune said besides weather alerts the weather radios can also signal alerts for any kind of local emergency through the national Emergency Alert System. He said the National Weather Service looks forward to working with the Fremont County Office of Emergency Management in maximizing the public alert feature for any local emergency.
Tom Magnuson, Warning Coordination Meteorologist, said of all the places without a weather radio signal, Fremont County was on a short list of sites nationwide to receive a site designation. Magnuson said Fremont County's turn finally came up for federal funding. As part of the educational effort to encourage families and businesses to purchase a weather radio Magnuson says the National Weather Service is donating a weather radio to every public school in Fremont County. Magnuson says next year the free weather radios will be distributed to all the private schools.
The weather broadcasts can typically be heard within a 40 mile radius of the transmitter depending on terrain. Bill Fortune, Meteorologist in Charge at the National Weather Service Office in Pueblo, told the Fremont County Commissioners that efforts to locate a NOAA Weather Radio transmitter in Fremont County have been ongoing for the past decade.
Fortune said the tone alert feature available on the low cost weather radios supports efforts by both the Department of Commerce and Homeland Security. Fortune said besides weather alerts the weather radios can also signal alerts for any kind of local emergency through the national Emergency Alert System. He said the National Weather Service looks forward to working with the Fremont County Office of Emergency Management in maximizing the public alert feature for any local emergency.
Tom Magnuson, Warning Coordination Meteorologist, said of all the places without a weather radio signal, Fremont County was on a short list of sites nationwide to receive a site designation. Magnuson said Fremont County's turn finally came up for federal funding. As part of the educational effort to encourage families and businesses to purchase a weather radio Magnuson says the National Weather Service is donating a weather radio to every public school in Fremont County. Magnuson says next year the free weather radios will be distributed to all the private schools.