National Weather Service Fort Worth, Texas facts for kids
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| Agency overview | |
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| Jurisdiction | Federal Government of the United States |
| Headquarters | 3401 Northern Cross Blvd, Fort Worth, TX 76137 32°50′5.647″N 97°17′55.323″W / 32.83490194°N 97.29870083°W |
| Parent agency | National Weather Service |
The National Weather Service Fort Worth, Texas (or NWS Fort Worth) is like a local weather station that helps keep people safe in north central Texas. It watches the weather for 46 counties, including big cities like Dallas-Fort Worth and Waco, Texas. This office is part of the larger National Weather Service, which is a government agency. Their main job is to monitor weather conditions and issue warnings.
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Where is the NWS Fort Worth Office?
The NWS Fort Worth office is located in the northeastern part of Fort Worth, Texas. You can find it near Meacham International Airport. This office is one of 13 National Weather Service offices in Texas. Its main task is to create local forecasts and send out weather warnings for north central Texas.
The building also hosts another important office called the West Gulf River Forecast Center. This center is one of 13 in the United States. It focuses on river basins, which are areas of land where water drains into a river. This office is responsible for a huge area. It covers the entire river basin between the Sabine River in the east and the Rio Grande River in the west. This includes parts of Colorado, New Mexico, and south Texas. Other rivers they watch include the Pecos, Nueces, San Antonio River, Guadalupe, Colorado, Brazos, Trinity, and Neches rivers.
NOAA Weather Radio: Your Weather Alert System
The Fort Worth Weather Forecast Office runs thirteen NOAA Weather Radio transmitters. These transmitters are spread across north Texas and even into far south Oklahoma. They broadcast important weather information 24/7. This includes regular forecasts, short-term updates, and hazardous weather outlooks. They also share historical weather facts.
These transmitters are a key part of the Emergency Alert System. They send out watches, warnings, and advisories from the NWS office. They also broadcast severe thunderstorm and tornado watches from the Storm Prediction Center. This system helps get emergency information to the public quickly.
Weekly Tests for Safety
The office performs a required weekly test of the Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME) system. This system is used for public alerts. These tests happen on all thirteen NOAA Weather Radio transmitters in the region. They are scheduled every Wednesday between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. and again between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. (all times Central). If there is a threat of severe weather that day, the test will be postponed. It will then happen the following Wednesday, as long as no severe weather is expected.
The Lightning Bolt: A Weather Talk Show
Since early 2009, NOAA Weather Radio Stations in North Texas have aired a monthly talk show. It's called "The Lightning Bolt." This 15-minute show answers questions from listeners about weather. Meteorologists from the NWS Fort Worth office answer these questions. They also share important weather safety tips and fun weather trivia.
NOAA Weather Radio Stations in North Texas
