NOAA: Weather radio off air in parts of Central Florida; how to stay informed

ORLANDO, Fla. — With severe weather on its way through Central Florida, the National Weather Service announced Wednesday that its Daytona Beach weather transmitter is off the air due to a communication line problem.

The Daytona Beach NOAA weather radio transmitter KIH-26, operating on a frequency of 162.400 megahertz is temporary out of service due to a communication line problem, the NOAA announced.

Read: Severe storms threaten Central Florida; isolated tornadoes possible

The transmitter serves Volusia, Lake, Brevard, Orange, Seminole, Putnam and Flagler counties, the NOAA said.

The National Weather Service in Melbourne said that weather radio listeners in these counties should tune to their local media outlets for the latest watches, warnings and statements.

Channel 9 has a weather app that is available for download here. The app is free and will alert you when severe weather is approaching Central Florida.

DOWNLOAD OUR FREE WFTV WEATHER APP TO RECEIVE ALERTS

Read: LIVE UPDATES: Severe weather traveling to Central Florida

The NOAA said alternative transmitters covering the Daytona Beach weather radio listening area include:

162.475 MHz in Orlando
162.425 MHz in Palatka
162.500 MHz in Sumterville
162.550 MHz in Melbourne
162.475 MHz in Gainesville

The NOAA said it is working to get the communication line problem fixed.

The weather radio transmitter also went down in Feb. 2016.

It happened right before a line of severe storms move in from southwest Florida that caused tornadoes.

Most of Central Florida was under a severe thunderstorm watch, and people who depend on weather radios were not able to hear the warnings.

Chief meteorologist Tom Terry is giving weather updates live on Channel 9 Eyewitness News.

Melbourne reporting the Daytona Beach area weather radio transmitter is still down. Ch4 (162.475) is your best bet as a back-up, but coverage doesn't get much into Daytona Beach and north. So, download our free @WFTVWeather app, and we'll be covering live tonight as well. pic.twitter.com/54OT0msLvH
— tom terry (@TTerryWFTV) February 6, 2020