National Weather Service Jackson, based in Jackson, Kentucky, is a weather forecast office responsible for monitoring weather conditions for 33 counties in Eastern Kentucky. The National Weather Service chose to put a weather forecast office (WFO) in eastern Kentucky due to the flooding of April 2-5, 1977. The National Weather Service Jackson, Kentucky has been forecasting for portions of Eastern Kentucky since 1981.
History Construction on the new Weather Service office near Jackson took place through late 1979 into 1980 and the office was officially commissioned January 1, 1981.
National Weather Service in Jackson, Kentucky operated as a "Weather Service Office" or WSO from the 1980s into the early 1990s, issuing warnings for 17 counties in East and Southeast Kentucky. A restructuring and modernization of the National Weather Service began in the mid-1990s. Modernization was needed to make use of new technology such as the WSR-88D Doppler weather radar and the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS). During construction, some of operations were moved into a temporary office in a single-wide trailer. The observing function remained in the old building, while the warning function of the office moved into the trailer below the radar tower. Communication between the dual offices was conducted by telephone. After installing the antenna for the WSR-88D radar at WSO Jackson, the tower for the old WSR-74S was then removed.
NOAA Weather Radio Regular broadcasts are tailored to weather information for Eastern Kentucky. Information, such as hydrological forecasts and climatological data are broadcast. During severe weather, National Weather Service forecasters can interrupt the routine weather broadcasts and insert special warning messages concerning imminent threat to life and property. National Weather Service Jackson, Kentucky forecast office provides programming for 20 NOAA Weather Radio stations in Kentucky.NOAA Weather Radio For Eastern Kentucky, NOAA. Retrieved July 31, 2018.
City of license Call sign Frequency (MHz) Somerset KIH44 162.550 MHz Mount Vernon WWG70 162.425 MHz London WWG65 162.475 MHz Williamsburg WWG78 162.500 MHz Monticello WWG80 162.425 MHz Morehead WWG71 162.400 MHz Stanton WWG61 162.550 MHz Frenchburg WWG63 162.475 MHz West Liberty WWG79 162.450 MHz Irvine WNG727 162.475 MHz Hazard KIH40 162.475 MHz Jackson WWG26 162.425 MHz Manchester WWG66 162.400 MHz Harlan WWG68 162.450 MHz Pikeville WWG69 162.400 MHz Paintsville WWG28 162.525 MHz McKee WWG64 162.450 MHz Pineville WWG62 162.525 MHz Phelps WWG81 162.500 MHz Beattyville WWG67 162.500 MHz
References
http://www.weather.gov/jkl/weatherradio http://www.weather.gov/jkl/virtualtour