How It Works
How does WJTV SAF-T-Net® alert me to severe weather?
SAF-T-Net® (Specific Alerting for Threats) is a fully automatic weather warning system that’s simple to use and more specific than weather sirens. Through either email, text message, or phone call, SAF-T-Net will alert you to impending weather danger so you can protect your family by knowing what’s coming.
Here’s how it works:
- The weather is continuously monitored by a staff of degreed meteorologists. Custom algorithms monitor the weather 24/7, searching for dangerous conditions such as strong winds, hail and tornadoes.
- When severe weather activity is detected, SAF-T-Net dispatches alerts to subscribers.
- You receive SAF-T-Net alerts via text message*, email or phone calls to your mobile device or home computer.
- When you’re subscribed to the free service, you receive SAF-T-Net alerts anytime severe weather approaches your area, or when your county is under a warning.
- When you’re subscribed to the premium service, you receive SAF-T-Net alerts only when your registered locations are affected.
*Message charges may apply. Consult your wireless carrier for more information.
What’s the difference between the Free and Premium versions of SAF-T-Net?
| FREE | PREMIUM ($3.99/month or $45.00/year) |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of alert locations you can specify | 1 | 4 | Learn More |
| SAF-T-Net Message Types | |||
| A severe storm is entering the WJTV viewing area (login to your account to opt-in for these messages) | • | • | Learn More |
| The National Weather Service has issued a county warning (Tornado, Severe Thunderstorm, Flash Flood, Flood) | • | • | Learn More |
| A custom alert message from WJTV meteorologists | • | • | Learn More |
| A storm capable of producing hail, damaging winds and flooding rains is within 15 minutes of an alert location | • | Learn More | |
| A storm containing potential tornadoes is within 15 minutes of an alert location | • | Learn More | |
| Baron Tornado Index (BTI) rankings of a storm’s potential for producing tornadoes | • | Learn More | |
| The National Weather Service has issued a storm-based warning (Tornado, Severe Thunderstorm, Flash Flood, Flood) | • | Learn More | |
The SAF-T-Net Process
Create an account on the WJTV SAF-T-Net home page, and select up to four locations (one location in the Free version) for which you’d like to receive alerts.
Continuously monitored by a staff of degreed meteorologists, advanced computer processing monitors the weather 24/7, searching for dangerous conditions such as strong winds, hail and tornadoes.
When severe weather activity is detected in one of your alert locations, SAF-T-Net dispatches a notification to your mobile device or home computer.
When you’re subscribed to the free service, you receive these SAF-T-Net notifications anytime severe weather approaches the WJTV viewing area (login to your account to opt-in for these messages), or when your county is under a warning.
When you’re subscribed to the premium service, you receive SAF-T-Net alerts only when your registered locations are specifically affected, either by hail, high winds, or potential tornadoes.
*Message charges may apply. Consult your wireless carrier for more information.
WJTV Viewing Area Notifications
The exclusive technology at work in SAF-T-Net constantly scans the WJTV viewing area, looking for developing weather threats. If a severe storm cell is identified—a hail-producing thunderstorm, for example—the system instantly and automatically dispatches a notification to every WJTV SAF-T-Net subscriber that has alert locations registered within the viewing area (login to your account to opt-in for these messages).
National Weather Service (NWS) County Warnings
County warnings are typically issued from the NWS office nearest you. SAF-T-Net notifies you of the following types of warnings:
- Tornado Warnings: The National Weather Service issues a Tornado Warning when a tornado is indicated by radar, or reported by spotters. You should seek shelter immediately if SAF-T-Net notifies you that a Tornado Warning has been issued.
- Severe Thunderstorm Warnings: A Severe Thunderstorm Warning is issued when a storm producing hail ¾” or lager in diameter and/or winds equal to or exceeding 58mph is detected. Severe thunderstorms can cause structural damage and produce tornadoes with little to no advance warning, so seek shelter if a warning is issued.
- Flash Flood Warnings: This type of warning is issued when a flash flood is imminent or occurring in the warned area.
- Flood Warnings: Flood Warnings are issued when flooding represents a serious threat to life or property.
Custom messages from WJTV meteorologists
During severe weather, the weather team at WJTV can send you customized messages with specific information or safety instructions, providing a personalized supplement to SAF-T-Net’s notifications.
Dangerous storm notifications
When you receive a “dangerous storm” message from SAF-T-Net, it means that a storm capable of these characteristics will be arriving at your registered location(s) within 15 minutes:
- Hail
- High, damaging winds
- Flooding rains
Twisting storm notifications
When you receive a SAF-T-Net message indicating a dangerous twisting storm is approaching your location(s), it means that a storm containing wind shear, a prime indicator of tornadoes, will be arriving at your registered location(s) within 15 minutes. In addition, you will receive a Baron Tornado Index (BTI) ranking on the likelihood of an actual tornado developing.
The Baron Tornado Index®
The Baron Tornado Index®, or BTI®, provides a simplified 1-10 ranking on the likelihood of a tornado within the storm.
Using sophisticated computer modeling , the patented and patent-pending BTI has proven remarkably successful at the prediction of tornadic supercells, beginning with the Super Tuesday outbreak of February, 2008. Combined with the localized power of SAF-T-Net, the result is accurate, targeted weather awareness that’s available nowhere else.
Storm-Based Warnings from the National Weather Service
More specific than traditional county warnings, storm-based warnings from the National Weather Service focus on the expected path of the storm—and therefore the area under greatest threat—a process that avoids alerting unaffected portions of a county. If you receive a SAF-T-Net notification for a storm-based warning, be prepared to take action.
SAF-T-Net supports storm-based warnings issued for the following types of inclement weather:
- Tornado Warnings
- Severe Thunderstorm Warnings
- Flash Flood Warnings
- Flood Warnings
Additional questions about SAF-T-Net:
How is SAF-T-Net a different kind of weather alert?
SAF-T-Net’s background processing focuses on the worst of each storm, not the storms as a whole, so the weather notifications you receive are not only more accurate, they’re specific to your selected locations. In addition, you’ll receive these exclusive notifications up to 15 minutes before the storm hits.
Where do the SAF-T-Net alerts come from?
SAF-T-Net was developed by Baron Services, a leader in weather innovations, and creators of many of the high-end weather systems you see during local weathercasts.
How do I receive SAF-T-Net alerts?
SAF-T-Net weather notifications can be read on a text-capable mobile device, or through your email account.
What weather events will trigger a SAF-T-Net alert?
If you subscribe to the free service, you will receive notifications in the event:
- A National Weather Service warning is issued for your county
- Tornado Warnings
- Severe Thunderstorm Warnings
- Flash Flood Warnings
- Flood Warnings
- Severe weather has entered the WJTV viewing area (login to your account to opt-in for these messages)
- WJTV meteorologists issue a custom message
If you subscribe to the premium service, more specific information is available to you. In addition to the alerts above, you’ll also receive, up to 15 minutes before the weather arrives in your four specific locations:
- Notifications when a storm capable of producing hail, damaging winds and flooding rains is approaching one or more of your alert locations.
- Notifications when a storm containing potential tornadoes is approaching one or more of your alert locations.
- Baron Tornado Index (BTI) rankings on the likelihood of the storm producing a tornado
- Storm-based warnings from the National Weather Service
For the premium level of service, what payment methods do you accept?
SAF-T-Net payments are processed through PayPal. PayPal supports a large number of credit cards, including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover and more. Check cards or debit cards with either a Visa or MasterCard logo are supported and treated just like a credit card.
Can I temporarily stop SAF-T-Net messages?
Yes. Login to SAF-T-Net, click the "Profile" tab and select the “disable my account” box. You won’t receive any messages until the box is unchecked.
Can I cancel my premium subscription at any time?
Yes. Login to SAF-T-Net and visit the "Account" tab to edit your subscription. Please note that we cannot refund unused portions of a SAF-T-Net subscription.