Broadcast area Canada Format Weather radio | Frequency 162.4 - 162.55 MHz Website Weatheradio Canada | |
Owner Environment and Climate Change Canada / Meteorological Service of Canada | ||
Weatheradio Canada (in French Radiométéo Canada) is a Canadian radio network that broadcasts continuous weather information. Owned and operated by Environment and Climate Change Canada's Meteorological Service of Canada division, the network transmits in both official languages (English and French) from 230 sites across Canada.
Contents
In most locations, the service broadcasts on one of seven specially-allocated VHF radio frequencies, audible only on dedicated "weather band" receivers or any VHF radio capable of receiving 10 kHz bandwidth FM signals centered on these assigned channels, which are located within the larger "public service band".
In some locations — primarily national and provincial parks and remote communities with little or no local media service — a transmitter operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation carries the service on a standard AM or FM broadcast frequency. As of August 2007, most of these AM and FM transmitters were unlicensed by the CRTC under a special license exemption granted to low-power non-commercial broadcasters.
Weatheradio Canada has a national coverage rate of over 90%. However, not every populated or forecasted region of the country is within range of a transmitter.
The radio frequencies used by Weatheradio Canada are the same as those used by its American counterpart, NOAA Weather Radio. Weather radio receivers designed for use in one country are compatible for use in the other. Since 2004, the service has been using Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME) alerting technology to disseminate severe weather bulletins. Weatheradio has indicated that, in the future, it also plans to add other hazard and civil emergency information (such as natural disasters, technological accidents, AMBER alerts and terrorist attacks) to its broadcasts.
History
For the most part, the VHF-FM band plan and radio technology used remains the same. While Weatheradio has evolved and incorporated many features into its broadcasts, Canada has not made any innovations to the transmission standard, as the technology was designed for American use. However, the technology is available for Canadians to implement at their discretion.
Frequencies
Weatheradio Canada signals are transmitted using FM (10 kHz bandwidth), with band spacing of 25 kHz. The service uses these frequencies:
Programming
Weather information is broadcast in both official languages which is English first then French. Weather alert broadcasts are inserted within the normal playlist, and are available in both official languages. Marine forecasts are broadcast, though on a limited schedule. Most marine forecasts are broadcast on the marine frequency, which is not available on most weather radios. One requires a special receiver capable of receiving the marine frequency, which varies by province. Environment Canada formerly broadcast a full marine forecast which included marine alerts; this has since changed between 2007 and 2009. Weather broadcasts also include the UV index for the forecasted day, and for the following day during the UV index season. The index runs from 1 (low) to 10 (extreme).
Environment Canada intends on changing the language used in their broadcasts, this also includes the Severe Weather Bulletins. For example, a simple broadcast would inform the listener where a Severe Thunderstorm is located, where that storm is going, the speed of the thunderstorm, and potential risks in the surrounding areas. This change comes as weatheradio users gave feedback to Environment Canada, indicating that Weatheradio is too basic in the language it uses, and more information is needed not only in the general forecast, but in severe weather alerts.
English
Weather information broadcasts in English are updated at 5:00AM, 11:00AM, 4:00PM local time. Revised forecasts are issued when conditions warrant between the scheduled times as indicated here. In the late 1990s, Environment Canada stopped using the phrase REVISED before the revised forecast, though is still used in marine forecasts. Weather Conditions are updated hourly which includes: Time, City/Town, temperature, sky condition (not available in all forecasted areas), wind speed (wind gust), relative humidity (not available in all forecasted areas), barometric pressure (not available in all forecasted areas) and station identification.
French
Weather information broadcast in French is updated at 5:00AM, 11:00AM, 4:00PM local time. Revised forecasts are issued when conditions warrant between the scheduled times as indicated here. In the late 1990s Environment Canada stopped using the phrase REVISED before the revised forecast, though is still used in marine forecasts. Weather Conditions are updated hourly; this includes: Time, City/Town, temperature, sky condition (not available in all forecasted areas), wind speed (wind gust), relative humidity (not available in all forecasted areas), barometric pressure (not available in all forecasted areas), and station identification.
Alert Test
Environment Canada conducts a Required Weekly Test (RWT) each Wednesday, this normally is done between 11:50AM and 12:00PM. This test enables users to confirm that their weather-radio devices are in working order. Environment Canada also conducts a Required Monthly Test (RMT), which broadcasts each first Wednesday of the month. Required Weekly Tests are conducted using the S.A.M.E bursts, and they do not contain the 1050 Hz tone heard in severe weather broadcasts. Only Required Monthly Tests are conducted with the 1050 Hz tone as well as S.A.M.E. bursts.
Alerting
Emergency alerts are sent using Specific Area Message Encoding data bursts, for the following alerts: Hurricane Watch and Warning, Tornado Watch and Warning, Wind Warning, Winter Storm Watch and Warning, Severe Thunderstorm Watch and Warning, Snowsquall Watch and Warning. A 1050 Hz audio tone for rainfall warnings, or to activate the weather radio before broadcasting the SAME bursts. Most models will activate for the 1050 Hz tone, while some Midland weather radios only activate for the SAME bursts. The use of the S.A.M.E and 1050 Hz tone may vary by province.
Future Changes
Environment Canada has begun working on in-house network upgrades, which include new male and female voices for Weatheradio Canada. Samples released by Environment Canada to Weatheradio Canada users indicate a new male voice to be used for the English broadcast, while a female voice to be used for the French broadcast. The text to speech used for future use was developed by Environment Canada, and intends on replacing the Starcaster text to speech currently used. Another in house change currently being performed, is the ability to receive alerts faster than we currently receive. Currently weather alerts receive between 3 to 5 minute delay from the time they are issued, and the time weather radio devices receive the signal. The new in house change intends on shortening the time the signal is send and received, this change should be completed by the end of 2017.