INDIANAPOLIS — Central Indiana residents should be prepared for an interruption in some NOAA Weather Radio (NWR) services this week as the National Weather Service (NWS) carries out a crucial system upgrade.
From Monday, April 28 through at least Wednesday, April 30, all NWR transmitters in the region will be down due to the upgrade of the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS) at NWS offices.
This system upgrade is part of a national rotation schedule and cannot be postponed, even if severe weather is predicted. The upgrade will enhance weather forecasting capabilities, but it also means a disruption to the critical weather radio service that provides continuous weather alerts to the public. This upgrade does not impact transmitters in northern Indiana and far southern Indiana.
- Indianapolis: KEC-74 – 162.550 MHz
- Bloomington: WXM-78 – 162.450 MHz
- Putnamville: WXK-72 – 162.400 MHz
- Monticello: WXK-74 – 162.475 MHz
- Georgia: WWG-72 – 162.500 MHz
- Edwardsport: WWG-83 – 162.425 MHz
- Newport: KZZ-27 – 162.425 MHz
- Seymour: WWG-73 – 162.525 MHz
- Muncie: KJY-93 – 162.425 MHz
Why this upgrade is necessary: The AWIPS system is the backbone of weather forecasting and alerting for NWS offices across the nation. The upgrade will improve forecasting accuracy, speed and the delivery of critical weather information. However, during this time, NWR broadcasts will be temporarily unavailable. The upgrade will also mean that the system could be down through Thursday or Friday, depending on how smoothly the process goes.
Despite the NWR outage, the NWS will continue to monitor weather conditions, and backup service from neighboring NWS offices will be in place to assist central Indiana. Local meteorologists will remain on shift 24/7, and will utilize PC-based applications to help with forecasts and warnings as needed.
- Have multiple ways to receive emergency alerts. While the NWR system will be offline, consider using alternative methods such as:
- WTHR weather app
- WTHR+
- FEMA apps
- Red Cross apps
- Stay informed: Make sure your phone notifications are turned on for emergency alerts and weather warnings.
It’s important to note that the Emergency Alert System (EAS) on your phone and the weather alerts you receive from the free WTHR weather app will still be operational and alert you if there is any threatening weather in your area. This only impacts alerts and sounds coming through your NOAA Weather Radio.
It’s also important to know that Tuesday, April 29, is a Weather Impact Alert Day with the expectation of thunderstorms —some of which could be severe.
