Outdoor Warning Systems
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio
The fastest, most accurate and reliable means of receiving severe weather information is through a NOAA Weather Radio with a "tone alert" feature and battery backup. Weather radios may be purchased at local electronics stores.
NOAA Weather Radio is operated directly from the National Weather Service office in Indianapolis, Indiana which provides coverage for Hancock County. The weather radio "tone alert" is activated when weather watches and warnings are issued. Newer models are capable of warning you only if severe weather is expected to reach Hancock County. This feature is called Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME). Ask your local electronics retailer for help programming your weather radio before you leave the store.
Warning Sirens
Throughout Hancock County, severe weather sirens are located to warn our citizens of impending severe weather.
Outdoor warning sirens should not be relied upon as the primary means of severe weather notification. Weather radios are the preferred method.
NOAA Weather Radios remain the primary means of severe weather notification.