After 50 Years - Weatheradio Canada will fall silent

A sad day for weather enthusiasts! My first weather radio purchased by my parents in 1978 at Radio Shack on Wellington Street in Verdun for my 12 birthday. After close to 50 years the radio will fall silent on March 16 as Environment and Climate Change Canada ends Weatheradio Canada broadcasts.

Many readers may not be aware of this, but Environment Canada has been operating a Bilingual 24/7 Weather Radio channel that broadcasts over 185 VHF transmitters across the country. The service covers nearly 90 percent of the country providing detailed weather forecasts, observations, marine forecast and most importantly severe weather warnings. The service broadcasts over the airwaves here in Montreal at 162.55 MHz, from the tower located on Mount Royal.

Environment Canada has decided to end the service on March 16, citing the availability for forecast information and other weather services through their app and website. The obvious problem I see, is that information is not always available in all corners of our country by WIFI or mobile phone. The availability for accurate and timely weather warnings is the biggest concern I have. At a time when our weather is changing rapidly, and in many cases becoming more life-threatening at times, I see great value in continuing this service.

My mobile weather radio, also purchased from Radio Shack in the 1980's, would later be replaced by two separate mobile scanners in the early 2000's and eventually my mobile phone, as digital replaced crystals. I even had a mobile unit installed in my truck. Even with all the new technology, the service will be sadly missed.

I have been a listener for over 40 years, since my parents bought my first weather radio from Radio Shack in 1978. For 20 of those years, whether at home or on vacation, listening to that radio was the first thing I did each morning. I also had travel size versions. The radio was never far from me at any point in the day. The unit you see in the top photo also had a tone alarm that would sound in the case of dangerous weather, mainly thunderstorms in the summer or freezing rain in the winter.

Weatheradio Canada first broadcast in Montreal in 1976, before spreading across the country, with a significant upgrade to the digital SAME technology in 2004. Originally, the forecasts were actually broadcast my Meteorologists from Dorval. In the early 2000's computer generated voices took over. At one point, the service was deemed so important by Environment Canada, they were quoted as saying, "It is as important as having a smoke detector in your home."

While mobile phones and the internet have made information readily available through alternate sources, having this duplication of services, such as weather warnings, would be well worth the continued investment.

On a personal note, Weatheradio Canada is a big reason I have been a weather enthusiast my entire life. The radio taught me lots about meteorology, not to mention being fluently bilingual in weather terms. I'm  also a regular listener to NOAA Weather Radio, which is operated by the National Weather Service from Burlington, Vermont at 162.40 MHz. NOAA operates 1000 transmitters covering all 50 states. Thankfully that option will remain, but only for those located close to the international border.

Others across the rest of Canada who have relied on Weatheradio Canada, will need to look elsewhere for their daily forecasts.

Marine forecasts will continue to be broadcast over Canadian Coast Guard Radio at 161.65 MHz in English and 161.75 MHz in French.