Severe weather in your area? Here's how to get alerts

TEXAS, USA — When weather turns severe, do you know how to receive alerts?

There are many different ways to receive messages about watches, warnings, advisories and other public safety notifications.

FOX West Texas alerts

Weather alerts, AMBER alerts, public safety and breaking news alerts are sent from the FOX West Texas team.

Here's how to get the FOX West Texas app on your cell phone.

Nixle

Nixle alerts are a way to receive messages via text or email for your area. You can add as many locations as you'd like that are served by Nixle.

Many schools, and city and county governmental agencies, such as police and fire departments issue Nixle alerts.

You can check to see if your area is on Nixle and sign up here.

CodeRED (Abilene)

The City of Abilene can notify residents by telephone through its warning system, CodeRED. The system is geographical-based and allows the City to alert citizens based on their location and telephone numbers.

A pre-recorded message tells a live person or an answering machine about the specific situation and if any action is necessary.

Sign up for CodeRED

• Enroll online on CodeRed's website
• Text - ABITAYTX to 99411 for a link to enroll
• For step-by-step instructions, download this guide or call 325-676-6200 for help.

AEP Texas

Get up-to-date information on weather-related power outages here.

Storm safety tips

The National Weather Service has a severe weather information page.

Click here for the link.

City of San Angelo 

• AlertSense - phone alerts (phone calls to landlines and cell phones, text messages to cell phones).
• City's social media pages (Facebook/Twitter)
• IPAWS alerts (similar to AMBER alerts) sent to designated affected areas

Emergency alerts from the San Angelo Fire Department

The emergency alert system is used to warn the public of impending emergencies because of a severe storm or a tornado sighting in the area. This system is operated by the San Angelo Fire Department.

According to the City of San Angelo's Public Information Office, the criteria for sending alerts for severe weather is - sustained winds (versus gusts) of at least 58 mph; hail at least one inch in diameter (the size of a quarter); and/or a tornado warning.

Information about severe weather comes from the National Weather Service or a trained weather spotter in the field. This criteria was established by agreement of the Tom Green County judge and San Angelo’s mayor and city manager, per NOAA recommendations. 

For more information, go to cosatx.us/Alerts.