All Cass residents soon should have access to severe weather warnings via radio

WALKER -- NOAA weather radio emergency reports finally may become available in Cass County this summer.

Until now, only a small portion of northwestern Cass and extreme west-central Cass have been able to receive emergency severe weather warning service by radio.

Mike Carey, Cass emergency services director, told the county board Tuesday the Minnesota Department of Transportation is nearly doubling the height of its communications tower in Leader by Highway 64.

The project is under construction now, he said. When complete, Cass will install a $74,522.18 weather relay unit on the tower to extend service throughout south and central Cass County, Carey said.

The county contributed $11,000 toward the project last year and will add another $8,000 toward it this year.

It should be operating this summer, Carey said.

Additionally, the weather relay from Bemidji is expected to be upgraded to give better coverage to northern Cass, he said.

When this takes effect, anyone in Cass County should be able to receive severe weather warnings before storms hit the county by listening to a radio having a weather band, he added.