Get Weather Alerts

The get_alerts tool retrieves active weather alerts, warnings, watches, and advisories issued by the National Weather Service.

Overview

Tool Name: get_alerts Coverage: United States only (NOAA) Data Source: NOAA National Weather Service Cache Duration: 5 minutes Update Frequency: Real-time as alerts are issued

US Only

Weather alerts are currently only available for United States locations. A NOAA API token is required for this tool to function.

Usage

Claude automatically uses this tool when you ask about weather alerts or warnings.

Example Queries

"Are there any weather alerts in Florida?"
"Show weather warnings for Texas"
"Active weather alerts in Seattle"
"Any severe weather warnings in my area?"
"Storm warnings for the Gulf Coast"

Parameters

location (required)

Type: string Description: US location (city, state, ZIP, or coordinates)

The location must be within the United States:

City and state: "Seattle, WA", "Miami, Florida"
ZIP code: "98101", "33101"
Coordinates: "47.6062,-122.3321"
Region: "Texas", "Florida"

Alerts are issued for specific counties or zones. Weather MCP will show all alerts affecting the requested location.

Alert Types

Warnings (Immediate Threat)

Life-threatening weather is occurring or imminent. Take action immediately.

Tornado Warning - Tornado detected or imminent
Severe Thunderstorm Warning - Dangerous thunderstorm approaching
Flash Flood Warning - Flash flooding occurring or imminent
Hurricane Warning - Hurricane conditions expected within 36 hours
Winter Storm Warning - Severe winter weather imminent

Watches (Potential Threat)

Conditions are favorable for dangerous weather. Be prepared to take action.

Tornado Watch - Conditions favorable for tornadoes
Severe Thunderstorm Watch - Severe storms possible
Flood Watch - Flooding possible
Winter Storm Watch - Severe winter weather possible
Hurricane Watch - Hurricane conditions possible within 48 hours

Advisories (Minor Impacts)

Weather conditions may cause inconvenience or minor impacts.

Wind Advisory - Strong winds expected
Heat Advisory - Dangerously hot conditions
Winter Weather Advisory - Minor winter weather impacts
Frost Advisory - Frost expected
Air Quality Advisory - Poor air quality

Statements

Informational updates about ongoing or ended events.

Special Weather Statement - Notable weather not meeting warning criteria
Marine Statement - Information for marine interests

Response Data

Each alert includes:

Alert Details

Event Type: Type of alert (Warning, Watch, Advisory)
Severity: Extreme, Severe, Moderate, Minor
Urgency: Immediate, Expected, Future
Certainty: Observed, Likely, Possible

Description

Headline: Brief summary of the alert
Description: Detailed information about the weather threat
Instruction: What actions to take

Timing

Effective Time: When alert begins
Onset Time: When weather event is expected
Expires Time: When alert ends

Location

Affected Areas: Counties or zones under alert
Geographic Extent: Polygon or point coverage

Example Response

User: "Are there any weather alerts in Miami?"

Claude: "Yes, there are 2 active weather alerts for Miami, FL:

1. Flood Warning (Severe)

Effective: Nov 12, 2:00 PM EST
Expires: Nov 13, 2:00 AM EST
Areas: Miami-Dade County

Heavy rainfall has caused flooding in low-lying areas. Avoid driving through flooded roads. Water levels are expected to remain high through tonight.

2. Wind Advisory (Moderate)

Effective: Nov 12, 6:00 PM EST
Expires: Nov 13, 6:00 AM EST
Areas: Coastal Miami-Dade County

Southwest winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 50 mph expected this evening. Secure loose outdoor objects and use caution if driving a high-profile vehicle."

Use Cases

Safety Planning

"Any severe weather warnings I should know about?"
"Is it safe to travel to Houston today?"
"Are there tornado warnings in Oklahoma?"

Event Planning

"Weather alerts for the outdoor concert venue"
"Any warnings that would affect the game?"

Travel Safety

"Weather advisories along I-95 corridor"
"Any winter weather warnings for my route?"

Emergency Preparedness

"Hurricane warnings for the Florida Keys"
"Flood warnings in my county"
"Heat advisories in Phoenix"

Alert Severity Levels

Extreme (Red)

Life-threatening situation
Take immediate action
Examples: Tornado Warning, Flash Flood Warning

Severe (Orange)

Dangerous conditions
Take action soon
Examples: Severe Thunderstorm Warning, Winter Storm Warning

Moderate (Yellow)

Potentially hazardous
Be prepared
Examples: Flood Watch, Wind Advisory

Minor (Blue)

Minor inconvenience
Stay informed
Examples: Frost Advisory, Special Weather Statement

Emergency Alerts

For life-threatening weather, always follow instructions from local emergency management. Weather MCP provides information but should not replace official emergency communications.

Data Accuracy & Timeliness

Real-Time Updates

Issue Time: Alerts appear within seconds of NWS issuance
Updates: Alerts are updated as NWS issues new information
Cancellations: Expired or cancelled alerts are removed immediately

Coverage

All US States and Territories: Complete coverage
Marine Areas: Coastal and offshore waters
Special Zones: NWS forecast zones and counties

Weather MCP caches alerts for 5 minutes. For rapidly evolving situations, Claude may query for fresh data automatically.

Alert History

This tool shows only active alerts. Expired or cancelled alerts are not included. To see if an alert recently expired, check the alert's expiration time.

Limitations

US Only: No international alert coverage
NOAA Token Required: Must have NOAA API token configured
Active Alerts Only: No historical alert data
Language: Alerts are in English only
5-Minute Cache: Very recent updates may have slight delay

If you don't have a NOAA API token configured, this tool will not function. See Installation for setup instructions.

Understanding Alert Zones

Weather alerts are issued for:

Counties: Administrative boundaries
Forecast Zones: Geographic areas defined by NWS
Marine Zones: Coastal and offshore waters

Weather MCP automatically determines which zones cover your requested location.

Related Tools

Get Forecast - Detailed weather predictions
Get Current Conditions - Real-time weather
Search Location - Find location coordinates

Technical Details

Caching

Alerts are cached briefly to balance freshness with API efficiency:

Cache Key: Location (county/zone)
TTL: 300 seconds (5 minutes)
Invalidation: Automatic, or immediate on user request

Provider Behavior

Primary: NOAA NWS API
Fallback: None (alerts are NOAA-specific)
Token Required: Yes

Error Handling

"Weather alerts not available (NOAA token required)"

Solution: Configure NOAA API token in Claude Desktop settings

"Location not in United States"

Solution: This tool only works for US locations

"No active alerts for this location"

Solution: Good news! No weather warnings are currently in effect

Best Practices

Check Before Travel: Always check alerts before driving in severe weather
Monitor Updates: For active warnings, check frequently for updates
Multiple Locations: Check alerts for departure, route, and destination
Heed Warnings: Take all warnings seriously and follow NWS guidance
Local Emergency: Follow local emergency management for evacuation orders