Weather radios back online in Oklahoma following longer than expected maintenance outage

Maintenance updates wrapped up a day later than expected on the National Weather Service’s weather radio system. 

An official with the National Weather Service in Norman said the radios, which broadcast targeted weather-related warnings into people’s homes, went back online late Friday. 

Maintenance was originally expected to run from Tuesday until Thursday afternoon.

The technology upgrades, which were mandated by the National Weather Services’ headquarters, knocked the weather radios offline across parts of North Texas and in numerous Oklahoma cities, including Ardmore, Atoka, Chickasha, Clinton, Enid, Lawton, Altus, Oklahoma City, Ponca City, Wichita Falls, Wewoka, Stillwater and Woodward.

The planned weather radio outages came amid a particularly stormy stretch of weather in Oklahoma that produced severe thunderstorms, at least two tornadoes, hail and high winds.

A “back-up office” in Tulsa conducted forecast operations and the “core warning and forecast products and services” were not impacted,” according to a statement.