NOAA Wisconsin Radio System Complete

It’s been more than 40 years since the first weather radio station went on the air in Wisconsin. And, now National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s weather warning radio system is complete.

The last phase brought weather stations on line in Tomah, Shawano and most recently, Spooner, covering dead spots on the Lac Courte Oreilles reservation and Hayward area.

Technical manager Steve Bauder, from the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board, says 27 weather warning stations cover 95 percent of the state’s population.

National Weather Service warning coordination meteorologist Carol Christenson tells Wisconsin Public Radio News that weather radios can be a life saver in the areas of northern Wisconsin where cell phone signals and sirens aren’t always available.