With the extreme weather the country has been experiencing, especially over the last year, wireless carriers and the federal government have teamed up and created a new system to automatically warn people of dangerous weather and other emergencies via a special type of text messaging to cell phones.

Cell phones to receive severe weather alerts in first nationwide system in U.S.

Been doing it here for at least 2 years if not longer in Queensland. But our system costs, it isn't free like it was when it first started.

What is wrong with taking a look at the sky around you? Why do people think the only place they can get information from is a screen? Too bad if the battery is flat I suppose? People are so addicted to their sceen-based information sources these days, it is very sad. I'd NEVER pay for their emergency alert system regardless of how good it is. However, provision of such a service might be good for those people who can not look outside and are dependent on others to tell them what is going on. I hope that it won't get to the stage of 'information overload' where too many people are offering advice on 'emergencies'. As it is, we deal with a lot of scaremongering by the media now. I hope the system is moderated or operated somehow by suitably qualified experts?

I disagree with your statement Dustydevil as I certainly see the advantages in a providing warnings through text messaging.

"What is wrong with taking a look at the sky around you?"
- This often requires an understanding of storm structure, something many in the general public do not have (nothing wrong with that at all - totally understandable). I think most people know a bad storm when they see one. Sometimes though it is easy to be tricked, for example, dark clouds or a visually impressive gust front on a weak squall line.
- Thick low-level cloud can often obscure storm structure making it difficult to judge severity or lack thereof, even for an experienced individual.
- Of course there is also the more simple reason that people may be just too busy doing other things, such as working, to pay attention to what the weather is doing.

SMS warnings are also a useful heads up for upcoming weather event. I should also disclose that I did work for the Early Warning Network for a short period of time so my opinions may be biased.