WEA & WPG Alert Notification System

The Washington Parish Alert Notification System is now in operation! The alert system will provide rapid notification of hazardous and urgent situations by phone, text, email, and TTY/TDD service for the hearing impaired. Landline phones are automatically enrolled for alerts. Registration is required for mobile phones and email addresses. To set up and monitor alerts for multiple locations, download the free Hyper-Reach Anywhere app today!

Sign up today to receive alerts:

  • Calling 985-282-2620
  • Text "Alert" to 985-282-2620
  • Visit the Hyper-Reach website
  • Say "Alexa, enable Hyper-Reach" and follow the prompts on the device

NOAA Weather Radio & Wireless Emergency Alerts

NOAA Weather Radio is a vital communication link in your severe weather safety plan. NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts continuous weather information. When severe weather watches and warnings are issued, most NOAA Weather Radios are automatically alerted and turned on so that you are alerted about a potential severe weather situation. Some receivers can be programmed specifically for the parish or county where you live.

In the southern United States, including the Gulf Coast states, tornadoes can occur at night. Unfortunately...nocturnal tornadoes have a much greater chance of causing fatalities and injuries as many people are asleep and not monitoring weather conditions or media to know if warnings have been issued. NOAA Weather Radios can be a life saving weather monitoring device during the overnight hours. The Weather Radio can be set in "stand-by" mode overnight and will automatically alarm and turn on if a severe weather watch or warning is issued. When a Severe Thunderstorm or Tornado Watch or Warning is issued, the weather radio will automatically alert and broadcast the warning.

Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) Success Story

Since the rollout of the Wireless Emergency Alert feature on mobile phone several years ago there have been a number of success stories where timely Tornado Warnings from the NWS and distribution to individuals cell phones via the WEA feature allowed people to seek safety during a life-threatening tornado situation.

On such example occurred in Louisiana near the small town of Trout (LaSalle Parish) on the night of October 31st, 2019 when a family received a Tornado Warning from the WEA feature on their cell phone, The family quickly moved from their double-wide mobile home to a nearby house of a family member. Their mobile home was completely destroyed by the strong (EF2) tornado. A timely Tornado Warning, and rapid distribution by the WEA feature to the warned area followed by quick action certainly led to a positive outcome and possible loss of lives.

Tornado Test Message

As part of the Severe Weather Preparedness Week in Mississippi and Severe Weather Awareness Week in Louisiana, our office will transmit a Tornado Test Message on NOAA Weather Radio Wednesday morning, February 16th, around 9:15 am The test message will be similar to the Routine Weekly Test message transmitted each Wednesday. Some NOAA Weather Radios will alarm with the test message, others will only have a test message displayed on their LCD screens. The test message will allow individuals and organizations to make sure their NOAA Weather Radios are in good working order and also is a good time to review severe weather safety plans. In the event of severe weather, the test will be postponed to a later date.