Officials with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced they are installing a permanent transmitter this week on Galveston Island. (Copyright 2026 by KPRC Click2Houston - All rights reserved.)
GALVESTON, Texas – Officials with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced they are installing a permanent transmitter this week on Galveston Island.
The transmitter broadcasts a radio signal that is part of NOAA’s All Hazards radio network. The Galveston area has been without a permanent signal since March.
A fire destroyed the government’s transmitter in Hitchcock last year. That transmitter broadcasted NOAA’s KHB-40 frequency at 162.550 megahertz and covered the Galveston County area.
This frequency can be heard on special radios or scanners that pick up VHF band frequencies that make up the NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards network. These radios are battery or solar-powered, which is why they are included on every severe weather preparation checklist.
During calmer times, the information broadcast by NOAA can be found online or any number of smartphone apps, but when power and cell service are knocked out the broadcast becomes a critical source of information.
A specific cause of the fire was never determined, but Hitchcock Fire Marshal Darron Ray told 2 Investigates in June he was able to rule out arson. NOAA was able to broadcast a temporary signal to the area in August, but that signal is not as powerful as a permanent signal.
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