Seven frequencies. One of them reaches you.
NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts continuously on seven VHF frequencies nationwide; which one reaches you depends on your region, so scan all seven and note the strongest. The same broadcast carries more than weather — AMBER Alerts, hazmat incidents, and national emergency messages ride the same signal via Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME). Without a SAME-capable radio that wakes automatically, monitor on a fixed schedule to save battery rather than leaving the radio on continuously.
The seven frequencies (MHz)
Monitoring notes
- Scan on arrival. Coverage varies by transmitter and terrain — scan all seven wherever you are to find the strongest signal, don't assume the same channel works everywhere.
- It's not just weather. NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards broadcasts AMBER Alerts, hazardous material incidents, civil emergencies, and national alerts on the same frequencies.
- SAME alerting lets a capable radio filter to only your specific county and wake automatically on an alert, instead of broadcasting every alert nationwide.
- No SAME radio? Monitor on a schedule — for example, the top of every hour for five minutes — instead of leaving the radio powered on continuously, which drains batteries fast.
- GMRS Channel 20 has informally circulated in prepper circles as a group monitoring/calling channel, but note this is not an officially designated emergency channel — no GMRS or FRS channel is reserved by regulation for civilian emergency use.
Frequently asked questions
What are the NOAA Weather Radio frequencies?
NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts on seven VHF frequencies: 162.400, 162.425, 162.450, 162.475, 162.500, 162.525, and 162.550 MHz. Which one reaches you depends on your region — scan all seven to find the strongest local signal.
Does NOAA Weather Radio only broadcast weather?
No. NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards also carries non-weather emergency alerts on the same frequencies, including AMBER Alerts, hazardous material incidents, and national emergency messages, using Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME).
How do I monitor NOAA frequencies without draining my radio's battery?
Without a SAME-capable alert radio that wakes automatically, monitor on a fixed schedule — for example, the top of every hour for five minutes — rather than leaving the radio on continuously.
Full comms planning: SHTF Radio Communications Manual. Need a radio with built-in NOAA scan? See the vetted pick in the Survival Gear Hub.
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