How to Track Severe Weather Alerts and Radar During an NWS Outage — Nov. 14, 2026

Verified and updated: November 14, 2026, at 1:03 a.m. UTC.

If a National Weather Service (NWS) page or radar feed stops loading, check the agency’s NWS status page and its linked operational-status resources before assuming warnings have stopped nationwide. In this check, the public status page directs users to the NCEP Central Operations status resources, while the NWS radar site and warning-dissemination guidance were accessible. That confirms those pages were reachable at check time; it does not establish that every NWS system or local transmitter is operating normally.

For immediate safety, keep Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) enabled, tune a NOAA Weather Radio if available, and follow local emergency management and trusted broadcast media. Use radar to understand storm movement, not as a substitute for an official warning or instructions to take shelter.

Destaques

• Check the official NWS status page and the affected local office before relying on outage posts.
• WEA, NOAA Weather Radio, and local radio or television provide separate ways to receive urgent information.
• The NWS radar site offers a low-bandwidth view and location-focused bookmarks when the enhanced map is slow.
• If a warning tells you to shelter, act first; wait for online radar or status pages afterward.

How can you check whether the NWS is actually down?

Start with the NWS status page. It links to operational status for weather.gov and other services, including NCEP Central Operations administrative messages. Then check your local NWS Weather Forecast Office’s site or official social accounts for location-specific notices. A single unavailable webpage, a slow app, or a blank radar tile is not enough to show that warning issuance or dissemination has failed across the country.

Check NOAA Weather Radio’s station and outage information separately. A transmitter outage can be local even when other alert paths are working. NWS describes its warnings as moving through multiple outlets, including WEA, the Emergency Alert System (EAS), NOAA Weather Radio, and other distribution services. A disruption in one link may affect some products or users without disabling every route.

How do you keep receiving severe weather warnings?

Leave emergency alerts enabled in your phone settings and confirm that your device supports WEA. NWS says qualifying alerts are passed through the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System to participating wireless carriers, which broadcast them from cell towers in the threat area. WEA is intended for selected imminent threats; it is not a complete feed of every watch, advisory, or forecast update. Do not depend on a weather app’s push notification as your only warning channel.

A NOAA Weather Radio receiver can provide alerts and continuous local broadcasts without requiring a working broadband connection. NOAA describes its network as more than 1,000 transmitters serving the United States and territories. Coverage and transmitter health vary by location, so find your station and check outage notices ahead of time. For local sign-up alerts, consult your county or city emergency-management office; use broadcast radio or television as another source when internet services are unreliable.

Keep a battery-powered radio, charged phone, and backup power available if severe weather is possible. If mobile data fails, WEA may still arrive through the cellular broadcast system, but that is not a guarantee during a broader power or network outage. Where cell service is absent, radio and locally issued instructions become especially important.

Where can you find radar if the NWS map is slow?

Try the official NWS Standard Radar page, which is designed as a low-bandwidth option. The radar site also offers station products, a national mosaic, and a location-based weather view that can be bookmarked. If one view fails, try another view or the local forecast office’s page. NWS radar products are also available through official geospatial services, though those are generally better suited to specialized applications than quick consumer checks.

Commercial weather apps and local news radar may offer another display, but they can rely on different update paths, smooth or combine data, and present alerts differently. Compare the timestamp, radar location, and warning text. A radar image shows observed precipitation or radar-derived features; it does not itself confirm that a warning is active. Verify warnings with NWS alerts or local emergency authorities. Don’t delay protective action while comparing maps.

What should you do if alerts and radar disagree?

Follow the most urgent official instruction that applies to your location. NWS warnings describe a hazard and its affected area; radar is one tool for seeing storm structure and motion, but it can be delayed, blocked, or difficult to interpret. If you receive a tornado or flash-flood warning, move to the recommended safe place first. Check the warning’s expiration and update messages when you can do so safely.

For a quick backup plan, bookmark your local NWS forecast office, the NWS status page, and your local emergency-management alert page. Keep WEA on, know how to tune NOAA Weather Radio, and identify a trusted battery-powered broadcast source. This layered approach reduces the chance that one website or device failure leaves you without a warning.

Frequently asked questions

Will Wireless Emergency Alerts still work during an NWS website outage?

They may. WEA uses a warning-distribution path through IPAWS and wireless carriers, separate from simply loading a webpage. A broader communications disruption could still affect delivery, so use additional alert sources.

Can I use radar as proof that there is no danger?

No. Radar is useful context but can lag or have coverage limitations. Check official warnings and follow local emergency instructions.

Where can I check whether my NOAA Weather Radio station is out?

Use the NWS NOAA Weather Radio page to find station and outage information. Check local NWS updates for your area as well.