The Top 5 Weather Radios For Emergencies
Tornadoes, thunderstorms, windstorms, wildfires, blizzards, and even dust storms can form in a matter of a few hours and can affect many areas of the US. If these storms are strong enough, they are even more dangerous to anyone who may be traveling in an RV.
Why you need a weather radio
Knowing the weather ahead of time or getting immediate alerts of these storms can make your camping trips safer.
While our cell phones offer a wide range of options for weather alerts, you shouldn’t be making a cross-country or long-term trip without a weather radio. These small devices are an inexpensive insurance policy for unpredictable storms.
Weather radios will typically have all the AM and FM bands for stations in your area. In addition, there is usually a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) channel as well. This channel gives up-to-date and localized weather news as well as emergency alerts.
In case you lose power in the area you are traveling in, weather radios should be able to run off of their own battery for a long time. Some weather radios can also be recharged by solar or with a hand crank. Several cranks of a small handle will give the radio enough power to run for about 30 minutes.
The best weather radios are ones that can perform multiple jobs in a small package. It’s helpful if weather radios include flashlights, clocks, USB ports, and severe weather alarms. It’s even better if they are waterproof as well.
Keeping size in mind, here are the five best weather radios to bring on the road with you, no matter what size RV or camper you have.
1. Midland WR120
Midland will be on this list a few times. This company is one of the top-rated weather radio manufacturers around.
They also have a lot of options to choose from. Their highly rated WR120 covers all bases. Along with the NOAA scan and alert in both sound and text for severe weather, it will even alert you to any local civil unrest. You can even set it for Spanish and French as well as English. Use it as a regular radio and an alarm clock too.
2. Midland ER310
With its compact size and multiple features, this little emergency weather radio is a must-have for any sized camper.
The Midland ER310 radio can be recharged in multiple ways including hand crank and solar. Once the batteries are charged up, they provide up to 32 hours of operation. This radio also includes a flashlight, USB port, and an ultrasonic dog whistle. The NOAA weather scan and alert scans through seven weather channels for any severe weather.
3. Sangean DT-400W
If you want a very simple and basic weather radio with excellent reviews, check out the Sangean pocket radio. This compact, pocket weather radio gives you all your favorite radio stations and a clock with alarm and sleep timer.
The NOAA weather scan offers an emergency alert for both extreme weather as well as local police emergencies.
4. Motorola Talkabout T600
If you want a weather radio that plays more than one roll, then the Motorola two-way radios are a good investment. This pair of radios can be divided between two people so they each have their own weather radio with communication options.
The radios have a range of 35 miles, they’re waterproof, and they have little flashlights embedded on the bottom. They include the NOAA weather channel and weather and emergency alerts. The radios also come in a bright lime color for high visibility.
5. Eton American Red Cross Radio
With its distinctive shape and red color, this little radio will be easy to grab for any trip. Like the other hand crank radios, the Eton American Red Cross Radio can be recharged manually or with its small solar panel.
Along with the NOAA weather channel, this weather radio also has FM and AM stations and emergency alerts. Other features include a USB charging port, flashlight, and antenna.
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the best radio I found is the Sangean CL-100, am, fm, clock radio besides the best WX alerting radio. a little pricey but worth every penny
I always wanted to buy one.. about 45 years ago I saw some one had one in Puerto Rico.. is cool radio to have. Please buy one…. for your own protection. Blessed
The ER310 leaves a lot to be desired. I camp off grid and the radio rarely gets a weather signal and poor AM/FM reception. I’d like to find a radio that has superior weather station reception, not just in cities.
I bought the Midland WR120 and mounted it on the wall in my 40-foot fifth wheel that I live in full time. Here in Mesa, AZ, we get monsoon storms with winds that can exceed 70 MPH. The weather alerts keep me apprised of high winds and flash floods so that I can know when and where there may be a problem. This little radio is worth its weight in gold!
That’s how we role.