Once again we’ve had some pretty crazy weather this spring so far.  Blizzards in the Dakotas and heavy rains in other parts of the country.  Warm weather one day, winter revisits the next.  Maybe it’s not so unusual, since spring is a volatile time of year for weather, but it means being on the alert for changing conditions.

            That’s where a weather radio with alert function comes in handy, and these days  the alert feature is being used for more than weather.  For example, you may hear Amber alerts and emergency announcements about immediate dangers from chemical spills or forest fires.  I’ve heard TV and radio stations promoting weather alert radios, and I think it could be partly for this reason.

            Yes, several media outlets hype their ability to give you the best weather coverage, including the availability of text alerts via cell phones.  However, most often you’ll get official alerts faster from the National Weather Service on a weather radio.

            Of course, you can’t always be near a radio or TV, and there are times when you might be in an area where cell phone service isn’t so good.  When you’re asleep, you’ll likely miss announcements from radio, TV and cell phone.  A weather radio alarm will wake you right up, I can almost guarantee it.

A very good option when you’re away from home is a portable radio you can take when you’re traveling, camping, boating, etc.  You can program a weather alert radio to receive alerts from the location where you’ll be.  Click here to find county codes from the National Weather Service.  If you don't have codes programmed, you can at least tune to the strongest weather station signal where you are and listen to the forecast and any updates when skies look threatening.

You want a portable weather radio, such as the Oregon Scientific Alert Monitor with cradle.  We’ve featured this radio before, but its features are worth mentioning again.  Here’s what one online description says about it.

“This portable Public Alert Radio provides emergency alerts anywhere in the U.S. When traveling, boating, hiking or working outdoors, use the WR103NX to receive weather information and emergency broadcasts from the National Weather Service. With the non-volatile memory built-in, no need to reprogram your SAME codes when the batteries run out. Includes convenient stand (to hold unit) and AC Adapter.”

To order the Oregon Scientific Alert Monitor with cradle, click on the picture of the radio below.  That takes you to the Amazon.com page for more info and a place for you to order.There’s no better time to get one than the present.  Your survival depends on staying informed and staying safe.