Canada Eliminating Its Weather Radio Network

Courtesy of one of our alert readers, Canada is ending its weather radio network as of March 16.

Canada's network has been pattered after NOAA Weather Radio network in the United States. After more than 60 years, the NOAA network has never achieved market penetration of more than 3% (percent of households actually using it). The reasons are many but the number one reason is that it triggers its loud tone in the middle of the night for storms the users don't care about. I know that's the reason we discontinued using it. 

Grok agrees:

The advantage of weather radios is that they will let you know (without you doing anything) when a dangerous condition approaches. But they are -- at best -- countywide and they cannot separate hazards (e.g., they alert for a severe thunderstorm warning regardless of whether it is one inch hail or whether it is 90 mph winds). 

One would think that NOAA would be moving on to satellite or newer technology with more geographic precision but they seem to be sticking with their own radio network. I think that is a mistake. Using satellite(s) to reach 100% of the population (weather radio does not reach a number of remote areas) via their smartphone or smartwatch seems to be a much better solution than weather radios. Perhaps turning this aspect of NOAA's mission over to the private sector would achieve more modern and better results.