The weather has been bananas lately. From Hurricanes Harvey and Irma to freak tornadoes and wildfires, who knows what the rest of the year has in store for us. If that’s not enough, the photograph that went viral recently of a skeleton sitting on a chair with a skeleton child on its lap and a sign that reads “waiting on FEMA” is sure to put anybody on edge. We did some research, the skeletons aren’t real (phew!), the picture was taken outside a home in Houston which was recently visited by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, so that’s legit. The sign sadly, is real too.
That’s right, two months after Hurricane Harvey, and six weeks after Hurricane Irma, FEMA is still thinking about paying Houston a visit to send efficient food and medical supplies, inspect property, and fork out those FEMA payments that were promised. Okay. So, you’re living in Erie, Pennsylvania(yawn!) or Green Bay, Wisconsin, two of the safest US cities from natural disasters. Before you sit there feeling smug, the truth is weather conditions around the world are changing rapidly.Without sounding kinda schizophrenic, this calls for extra precaution on a local and personal level. Make no mistake, a weather radio is a life-saving device and may just save yours when hazardous weather strikes.
Besides, who wouldn’t want to know if there was a tornado in their path. We, sure as heck would, so here’s a list of the best weather radios where you can get alerts of dangerous weather conditions of your area in real time.
Choosing a Weather Radio
Choosing a weather radio isn’t going to be easy mainly because they are all quite different. If you look online, there are hundreds of models and brands of weather radios which means you’ll have quite a bit of sifting to do before you choose a particular weather radio. But, if you do your homework right, you should be able to get a weather radio that offers a few extra features as well. The aforementioned weather radio is a good starting point to get you an idea of the various weather radios available.
The Best Weather Radios
So, let’s get started. Here are some of our picks of the best weather radios that could save yours and your family’s life when the next Hurricane Harvey strikes.
Midland WR300 – AM/FM Weather Alert Radio
Features:
- AM/FM Radio with 6 Memory Channels
- Single, Multiple, or Any S.A.M.E program settings
- Public Alert Certified
- Over 60 Emergency Alerts and 23 Programmable Counties
- Loud Alert to Keep Your Family Safe
- Stores up to 10 Different Previously Received All Hazards and Weather Alerts
- Large, Backlit LCD with Continuous Backlighting Option
- Full Calendar Display – Day, Month, and Year
- Color Coded Alert Indicators
- Alert Override – Automatically switches over from AM/FM to warn you of hazardous conditions
- Alarm Clock – Wake Up to Local Weather, AM/FM, or buzz
- 4 AA alkaline batteries (not included)
Midland WR300 – AM/FM Weather Alert Radio — Overview
The Midland WR300 is just the weather radio you need if there’s a tornado ripping apart homes a few states away. The Midland WR300 features SAME technology, so listeners can pay attention to any weather alerts in any of the states.
Add or Remove Specific Alerts
With the Midland WR300, you will receive over 60 different alerts and these alerts can be removed since not all weather alerts pose a threat to human life. This weather radio features voice alerts and has a bright and clear LED flasher to warn you when something’s wrong. If that’s not going to be enough, there’s a 90-decibel siren that’s pretty loud and will alert you of any extreme weather that’s coming your way.
Color-Coded Indicators
The Midland WR300 has quite a few nifty features that make this a great choice for a weather radio. The color-coded indicators make sure you know the exact ferocity of a natural disaster with yellow, being for ‘Advisory’, orange being ‘Watch’ and red for ‘Warning.’ The abbreviation ‘EXP’ will also be displayed on the Midland WR300 if your area is safe from a natural disaster warning.
Backlight Option
The Midland WR300 also features a clock and a continuous backlighting option so the display screen will always be illuminated, which is more than your average radio. The multipurpose weather radio can also be used as an alarm clock for your bedroom.
Kaito KA500 Voyager
Features:
- Four band weather radio
- Rechargeable lithium battery, Dynamo Cranking, Solar Panel, USB Port from any USB charger, and 3 AA batteries so it’s always working
- AM/FM/Shortwave radio and 7 pre-set NOAA weather channels with alert
- 180-degree rotatable solar panel
- High-capacity replaceable rechargeable battery
- Weight: 1.8 lbs.
- Rubberized water-resistant housing + 5-LED reading lamp + Flashlight
- Unique 180 Degree Adjustable Solar Panel
Kaito KA500 Voyager — Overview
The Kaito KA500 Voyager is one of the best weather radios we’ve seen so far. This particular radio is not only powerful and affordable, but has multiple energy sources which is a really neat feature when the power goes out in your area.
Solar Panel Power
The Kaito KA500 Voyager can be powered up by five different power sources. The power features it has includes Rechargeable lithium battery, Dynamo Cranking, Solar Panel, USB Port from any USB charger and 3 AA batteries that makes sure the weather radio stays on after the power has been shut off. Talking about high-tech, the Kaito KA500 Voyager also has a high power solar panel that’s attached to the radio and provides enough power to the radio.
Dynamic Speakers
The Kaito KA500 Voyager is a top-shelf weather radio and is built to produce the best sound quality with its wide range speaker that’s very loud, ensuring that you are not going to miss any important weather alerts. The Kaito KA500 Voyager also catches AM/FM/SW bands, so you can also listen to some of your favorite radio stations as well.
NOAA Function
The Kaito KA500 Voyager makes it easy to find all weather channels since they have all been pre-programmed into the radio. If that’s not enough, there’s also a NOAA function that alerts you to any possibly dangerous weather conditions in your area.
C. Crane CC Pocket
Features:
- Rechargeable batteries. Also, runs on (2) “AA” batteries (not included).
- Rubber protected sides
- NOAA Weather Radio with Alert
- Headphone wire or included antenna wire is used as antenna for FM and Weather
- FM stereo or mono switch and reception indicator
- Display light, sleep timer, clock and alarm, removable belt clip
- Battery and signal strength meters
- About 100 hours of play with ear buds and about 80 hours using built-in speaker.
- Crane CC Pocket — Overview
The C. Crane CC Pocket boasts of a robust build and a great design. The radio also features other channels as well so you can use the C. Crane CC Pocket even when you’re not listening to the weather channel.
Durable Build using Premium Quality Materials
One look at the C. Crane CC Pocket is enough to tell you that this weather radio has been built to last. Apart from its sturdy build, the C. Crane CC Pocket also boasts of an ergonomic, lightweight design, that makes it easy to carry. The lightweight design of the C. Crane CC Pocket also means that you can carry it around since it fits comfortably in your pocket.
Long Lasting Batteries
The C. Crane CC Pocket also features a top of the line built-in battery that offers up to 75 hours of on-time using headphones after every charge and 25 hours of run-time using the built-in speakers. After the built-in batteries have run out, you can still keep it working by using the AA batteries.
Clear Sound Quality
The C. Crane CC Pocket may as well be the best weather radio out there at the moment since it not only is lightweight (weighing just 4 ounces), but also delivers superb sound quality. In fact, one of the surprising qualities of the C. Crane CC Pocket is its clear sound, which is rare for a tiny weather radio.
ETON ARCFRX3+WXR
Features:
- 1-red LED flashing beacon
- Alarm clock
- Alert function that broadcasts emergency weather alerts
- AUX-input to play music from external MP3 player
- Back-lit display and illuminated buttons for easy readability
- DC power option (mini-USB cord included)
- Glow-in-the-dark locator
- Hand turbine and solar power for recharging on the fly
- Long-lasting LED flashlight
- Receives AM/FM (digital radio)
- USB smartphone charge with 2600 mAh
ETON ARCFRX3+WXR — Overview
The ETON ARCFRX3+WXR has lots to offer whether you’re looking for weather channels, power options or other features. For those who want to know about bad weather headed their way, this radio has a lot to offer and then some.
Powered with Solar Energy
Nowadays, one of the features that are given in weather radios is their ability to recharge using solar energy. The ETON ARCFRX3+WXR has quite a good solar power system on board which allows it to recharge using the sun’s energy in no time. The radio can also be powered by using the in-built hand-crank, which will get you at least 20 minutes of power for every minute you spend turning the crank.
Alert Feature Ove Rides Other Radio Functions
With the ETON ARCFRX3+WXR, you can rest assured that you are always going to get alerts of bad weather since there is a feature in this radio that over rides all other functions, making sure that you are always in the know, when it comes to weather alerts.
It will Also Charge Your Phone
One of the major issues of unexpected power outages is that we don’t always have our phones charged. Plugging in your smartphone in the gas generator can be risky if you want to charge it, but that’s not the case when it comes to the ETON ARCFRX3+WXR, which can easily charge your smartphone without damaging the delicate components inside.
Built-In LED and Flashlight
It wouldn’t be wrong to say that the ETON ARCFRX3+WXR is like the Swiss army knife of weather radios. It features a bright LED screen which is clear and bright, and the ETON ARCFRX3+WXR also features a powerful built-in LED flashlight that’s bright enough to light up any medium size room.
C. Crane CC Skywave Weather Radio
Features:
- Stereo headphone jack and fold-out back stand
- Selectable fast or fine tuning on all bands except weather
- Runs on (2) AA Alkaline batteries (not included)
- Run Time (on batteries): 70 hours (earbuds), 60 Hours (built-in speaker) (times are approximate)
- Rotary volume knob
- Lighted LCD display
- High quality CC Buds Earphones and radio carry case included
- Direct entry of a frequency plus auto scan and store
- Clock with 12/24-hour format, Alarm
- AM, FM, Weather plus Alert, Shortwave (2.3-26.1 MHz) and Air Aviation Band
- 400 memory presets
- (Optional) CC Skywave AC power adapter w/ mini USB plug required for charging NiMH batteries.
- One Year Limited Warranty
- Crane CC Skywave — Overview
The C. Crane CC Skywave comes highly rated as one of the best weather radios available. It delivers excellent performance for a radio of its size. During emergency situations, its powerful speaker and clear display will ensure that you get all the information you need to avoid danger.
Long Operating time of 70 Hours
The C. Crane CC Skywave can work for an incredible 70 hours, so you can rest assured that it is not going to die on you any time soon. Plus, the two AA batteries are also going to last for a long time, providing the radio with lots of power. This is one of those weather radios that you would want to take with you on the road since it’s not only compact and sturdy, but also has a long operating time.
Easy to Use Features
With the C. Crane CC Skywave, there won’t be any need to guess how the various features work. All of the buttons and knobs have been placed where they need to be, making them easier to access. There’s also an auto search feature that enables you to search for radio channels faster. The C. Crane CC Skywave also features up to 400 memory presets which is more than enough space to fit in the radio channels you listen to most.
Air Band Feature
There’s a reason why the C. Crane CC Skywave has been called the best weather radio. Whenever the weather channels are not being used, the C. Crane CC Skywave has a special air band feature that enables you to listen to air traffic controllers if you find yourself waiting for a flight. The air band features can be used almost anywhere and the added squelch feature ensures that you can hear everything clearly via the 5-watt built-in speaker.
Ending Note
A weather radio can be useful wherever you live, especially if you live in a region that’s prone to natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, extreme rain or snow. Having a good weather radio can be a life saver as it alerts you of harsh weather in your area.
