NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — If you rely on your NOAA weather radio for severe weather updates, you'll need to find a backup plan over the next few days. Due to a pre-planned computer update at the National Weather Service office in Middle Tennessee, it will bring several of their systems offline right as severe weather could be moving in.
"To extend the life of our systems, we have to go through these upgrades," said Krissy Hurley, the Meteorologist-In-Charge at Nashville NWS. "As we go through, each office is having to be down for three to four days."
Thankfully, their life-saving work won't be severely impacted. "We will still have an office full of meteorologists here, during this event," said Hurley.
Nashville-based forecasters will be able to remotely log onto computer systems in East and West Tennessee weather offices to still issue official alerts. "Our watches, warnings, forecasts will all be pushed out," she said.
But during that time, NOAA weather radios will go silent.
Other ways to get alerts
Thankfully, with modern technology, there are multiple other ways to get severe weather alerts. NewsChannel 5 will break into TV programming anytime there's an active tornado warning in our viewing area. We also broadcast live on Facebook during active warnings. Additionally, there are several apps and notifications you can receive on smartphones and tablets.
Storm 5 Senior Meteorologist Lelan Statom says you can rely on your smartphone's Wireless Emergency Alerts, which also go off for Amber Alerts, in case there's an active tornado or flash flooding warning. "Make sure the phone is charged and ready to go before you head to bed," said Statom.
You can also rely on the NewsChannel 5 app for push notifications about weather warnings, and you can download the free Storm Shield app. "Which will give you radar in the palm of your hand. But also will give you weather warnings on the go," said Statom.
NewsChannel 5 has another great option, especially if you don't have a smartphone or you have a reliable cell phone signal. Anyone with any type of phone number can register for a Weather Call. "You’ll get a phone call from either me or Nikki-Dee when there’s life-saving information. The great thing about Weather Call is you can now register for those phone calls in Spanish as well," he said.
Weather Call does require a paid subscription. You can sign up here. It costs $15 a year.
Experts recommend not relying on outdoor tornado sirens because you can't always hear them inside your home.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Chris.Davis@NewsChannel5.com.
Happy Birthday to the YMCA of Middle TN. They just celebrated their 150th anniversary! A lot has changed with the Y over the years. I have personally seen some of that firsthand when I was a long-time board member at the Northwest Family Y and part of their Black Achievers Program. Forrest Sanders has a look back.
- Lelan Statom
