News 96.5 Storm Center - What are those tones I hear on the radio?

• What are those tones I hear on the radio sometimes?

News 96.5 is Central Florida’s Severe Weather leader. For decades News 96.5 has provided Central Floridians with the most accurate and dependable weather coverage in Central Florida including, hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding, droughts, freezing temperatures and so much more. Now, much like a crawl on your TV, News 96.5 provides you with a “crawl for your ears” with our severe weather tones.

• How often do you provide me with the severe weather information?

When News 96.5 learns of severe weather, we immediately activate the News 96.5 StormCenter, and we will break into programming with a News 96.5 StormCenter Alert. News 96.5 then alerts you at least every 10 minutes with an update until the weather alert has expired. The News 96.5 Weather tones run every 90 seconds until the weather alert expired.

• Who provides me with the News 96.5 StormCenter information?

News 96.5 has teamed with the resources of WFTV Severe Weather Center 9, which includes Chief Meteorologist Tom Terry, Brian Shields, Marina Jurica, Rusty McCranie and George Waldenberger. We now have the most powerful team of weather experts in Central Florida.

• What conditions and areas qualify as a severe weather alert?

News 96.5 will activate the News 96.5 StormCenter under, but not limited to, these guidelines:

1. A Severe Thunderstorm Warning or Tornado Watch is issued for Orange, Osceola or Seminole County
2. A Tornado Warning or Hurricane Warning is issued for Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Lake, Volusia or Brevard County
3. If the Emergency Alert System issues an alert for a Tsunami Warning

• What is the difference between a warning and a watch?

From the National Weather Service:

A watch lets you know that weather conditions are favorable for a hazard to occur. It literally means “be on guard!” During a weather watch, gather awareness of the specific threat and prepare for action - monitor the weather to find out if severe weather conditions have deteriorated and discuss your protective action plans with your family.

A warning requires immediate action. This means a weather hazard is imminent - it is either occurring (a tornado has been spotted, for example) - or it is about to occur at any moment. During a weather warning, it is important to take action: grab the emergency kit you have prepared in advance and head to safety immediately. Both watches and warnings are important, but warnings are more urgent.

Other useful News 96.5 StormCenter tools to keep your family safe secure and informed on severe weather:

• 5 Day Forecast
• Radar
• Hurricane Guide