A good weather radeo will receive emergency broadcast system messages in the event of a true disaster and is invaluable. The scenario you described may not have been sever enough to trigger such an aleert, except for weather updates. In a trukly disaterous weather situation you would (should( hear evacuation notices and such. Not as detailed as we're accustomed to on the internet, but in a sever weather system where both land lines and cell towers are without power, the airwaves are you last resort for information.