hmmmm, i'm wondering now if we even have an NOAA station nearby, is there any way I can find out?
I'm sure you do. NOAA Weather Radio covers virtually the whole nation. Go to
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/. Click on the "Coverage Maps" link.
I haven't seen much use for NOAA weather in general. If it's bad enough AM and even FM stations will broadcast.
I think NOAA Weather Radio is a good thing to have. It is a continuous broadcast and is updated frequently.
The AM and FM stations usually just get their info from NOAA, so you are assuming they will update their info in a timely manner, and that they will not screw it up. The NOAA broadcast also often includes detail that the commercial stations sometimes leave out.