Why StormWatch+?

In 2007, the National Weather Service began issuing Tornado, Severe Thunderstorm, and Flash Flood Warnings as polygons (see images to the right), alerting only the areas in the path of the storm, rather than entire counties. However, for various reasons, and in almost all cases, outdoor warning sirens still sound over the entire county even if the storm is affecting only a small portion of that county. This can create an overwarned public and increases the perceived warning false alarm rate, thereby reducing the siren's effectiveness and, consequently, the public's response. In addition, NOAA Weather Radios also alert on a COUNTY basis and are therefore not as precise as the warnings they are alerting on.

At a recent "Weather-Ready Nation" conference in Oklahoma City, panelists at the conference stated that cell phones and geotargeted alert information are the most important warning dissemination technology available. In addition, a finding of the NWS Service Assessment of the Joplin, MO Tornado indicated that "many current warning dissemination systems are not fully compatible with specific warning information provided by storm-based, warning polygons." Officials at the highest level are giving credence to the use of geo-targeted alerts and warning systems that can provide very specific information.

What is StormWatch+?

StormWatch+ keeps you from becoming "siren-weary" and "overwarned" by only alerting you if you are directly in the path of the storm. If sirens or your NOAA Weather Radio sound an alarm, but a StormWatch+ alert is not received, you are NOT in the NWS-warned area. For less than the cost of a combo meal at your local fast food restaurant, you can have peace of mind for an entire year!

Features:

• Push notifications in the event of:
• Tornado Watches and Warnings
• Severe Thunderstorm Watches and Warnings
• Flash Flood Watches and Warnings
• Winter Storm Watches, Warnings, and Advisories
• Notifications sent even if app is not running and device is not in use
• Audio AND voice alert when watches/warnings are received
• Auto-updating list of active alerts, which “roll off” when expired or canceled
• Register up to two locations anywhere in the United States, which can be changed at any time and can be set using:
• Current GPS location
• City, ST
• Postal address
• Access to full warning text of the alert
• Google map showing warning area compared to your location
• Quiet time – to temporarily stop alerts during a specified time of day
• Status button to disable notifications (i.e., vacation stop)
• Regional map showing all active Mid-South alerts
• Free re-install if the app is deleted
• Multiple device installations with one registration for iOS devices

Benefits:

• Reduce confusion associated with:
• Multiple warnings for your area
• Sirens that activate for entire counties
• NOAA Weather Radio that alerts county-wide
• Eliminate ambiguity over whether YOUR location is warned - personalized service!
• Increased lead time with immediate personal notification
• Audio alerts that will get your attention or wake you up
• Reduce perceived false alarms by defining exact areas under a warning, thereby re-establishing credibility in the warning process

How storm-based warnings work






Get MWN with StormWatch+!

Watch video demos of setup & use of StormWatch+