NOAA weather radio could be down for 4-6 months

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The National Weather Service says it could take four to six months to get NOAA’s weather transmitter working again.

Warning Coordination Meteorologist Steven Pfaff said ice from the winter weather the Cape Fear saw earlier this month caused the transmitter in Winnabow to stop working.

Pfaff said they think wind from Hurricane Matthew may have caused part of the damage and then, the ice caused it to stop working all together. He said it could take up to four to six months before they can get it working again. Pfaff said they have to follow several guidelines and safety protocols from the government and other agencies to go about the repairs and studies.

Pfaff said if you rely on the radio for alerts, you need to make sure you have a plan B for the next several weeks.

“We are very concerned because we’ve got a statewide tornado drill coming up in March, severe weather season coming up in March and then of course hurricane season,” Pfaff said. “Some counties have code red or other phone alerting things that can be used. I know like your station has apps that do a fantastic job with the further dissemination of warnings when it matters.”

Pfaff said they are hoping to expedite the repairs as much as possible and may be able to get it fixed faster than that. If you do not have a smart phone, Pfaff said you can reach out to your local emergency management to find out what they use for alerts and how you can be added to the list.