Warnings only help if you hear them. Aim for three channels so one failure does not leave you in the dark.
Three ways to hear a warning
- Your phone. Wireless Emergency Alerts are sent automatically to compatible phones in the affected area. Keep them switched on, including overnight.
- A weather radio. A NOAA Weather Radio with SAME lets you program your county and wakes you for warnings, even when cell service or power is down.
- A local or state signup. Alabama runs the ALalert system: text ALalert to 77295 to sign up (text ALinfo for preparedness information). Many counties add their own system; see the table below.
Which weather office covers you
The National Weather Service office in Huntsville covers Lauderdale, Colbert, Franklin, Limestone, Lawrence, Madison, Morgan, Cullman, Jackson and DeKalb counties. For Marshall, Cherokee and Winston counties, check weather.gov with your ZIP code to see which office serves you.
County emergency management
Phone numbers are the office numbers published by the Alabama Emergency Management Agency. Local alert systems are listed only where we found one on an official county page; a dash means we did not find one, so call the office and ask.
| County | EMA office | Local alerts |
|---|---|---|
| Cherokee | 256-927-3367 | Ask the office |
| Colbert | 256-386-8558 | County EMA page (signup and public safety app) |
| Cullman | 256-739-5410 | County mass notification; ask the office for the current signup |
| DeKalb | 256-845-8569 | Ask the office |
| Franklin | 256-398-4020 | Ask the office |
| Jackson | 256-574-9341 | Ask the office |
| Lauderdale | 256-760-6363 | Ask the office |
| Lawrence | 256-612-1781 | Ask the office |
| Limestone | 256-232-2631 | County EMA site (Limestone Alert, shelters, sirens) |
| Madison | 256-427-5130 | County EMA site; Huntsville also offers text alerts |
| Marshall | 256-571-7329 | Ask the office |
| Morgan | 256-351-4621 | Ask the office |
| Winston | 205-489-2747 | Ask the office |
Sources: Alabama EMA county contacts, Alabama EMA alert signup and NWS Huntsville. We do not list storm shelter addresses because they change; ask your county EMA.