USA NOAA weather radio channel to frequency
Weather radio broadcast alerts USA NOAA NWR are receivable on dedicated 162 MHz weather (WX) radio receivers. Many two-way communications radios such as CB radio, GMRS, and MURS can also have 162 MHz WX radio receiver capability. The advantage of these alerts is that mobile phone service is not required, just a small portable radio and a clear path to the WX radio transmitter, so audio alerts are heard only when a selected hazard type is determined to be in the area.
162 MHz WX radio is a one-way broadcast radio service carrying weather information and emergency alerts across much of the USA and Mexico. Unfortunately, the Canada WX radio service was shutdown in March 2026. Currently, Canadian weather broadcasts use the Coast Guard Continuous Marine Broadcast (CMB) to relay weather information. When determining which WX channel to receive on, it can be confusing because there is no standard WX channel number to 162 MHz frequency mapping. Use the NOAA USA search to find nearby WX radio transmitter frequencies.
WX radio channel number to frequency mapping: a common practice is to start with the lowest frequency and go up across the 7 WX radio frequencies. This is perhaps the most common channel number to frequency mapping.
| WX Channel | Frequency (MHz) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 162.400 |
| 2 | 162.425 |
| 3 | 162.450 |
| 4 | 162.475 |
| 5 | 162.500 |
| 6 | 162.525 |
| 7 | 162.550 |
Non-sequential channel order is used by some CB radios such as Radioddity / Anytone radios made by Qixiang.
| WX Channel | Frequency (MHz) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 162.550 |
| 2 | 162.400 |
| 3 | 162.475 |
| 4 | 162.425 |
| 5 | 162.450 |
| 6 | 162.500 |
| 7 | 162.525 |
Comparing reception performance on a known frequency vs. a handheld radio can give a quick indication that an antenna system is working OK, even if, as with 27 MHz CB radio, the designed antenna frequency is far from the 162 MHz weather radio frequency. Comparing WX radio reception on a CB radio with base or mobile antenna versus a handheld radio on the same 162 MHz WX radio frequency indicates that the CB radio antenna coax is perhaps not severely damaged or lossy, and the radio is working OK.
Modern receivers may allow arbitrary VFO tuning. This is important in Canada, where marine weather broadcasts are not always on WX radio frequencies. Some WX radios are 10 channel and may include frequencies like 161.650 MHz, 161.775 MHz and 163.275 Mhz or such, which may help in Canada, but other VHF frequencies are also used for weather broadcasts, so VFO tuning is important to receive all broadcasts.