AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Knowing what is coming and when it's coming is the first step in staying ahead of severe weather. Whether it's hail, tornadoes or destructive winds, you're encouraged to have multiple ways to get alerts. Live television The most immediate way to get information during danger ous weather is turning on the television. The KXAN First Warning Weather team can provide life-saving information over the air, on not one but all three of our in-house channels — KXAN-TV, KBVO-TV and KNVA-TV. KXAN, CW Austin and KBVO Channel Listings We also have a KXAN+ streaming app for Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV. And, KXAN will always stream severe weather coverage on our website. But what happens if you're not at home? Weather apps Perhaps one of the most accessible ways to get weather alerts is via weather apps. For example, the KXAN First Warning Weather is a free app you can download that allows you to adjust what alerts you're notified of and where. How to download the free KXAN Weather app The KXAN Weather app has a unique location function that if turned on, allows the app to send weather alert notifications wherever you area (within the United States). Whether at home, at a baseball game, or dropping kids off at school, the app will send you a notification for the area you are currently in if you click "follow me". 'Follow me' function (found under the 'location' tab in the KXAN Weather app) allows the app to send location-based weather alerts That function came in handy for long-time Texas resident Bruce Ryle, who had the "follow me" button turned on in his KXAN Weather app when a tornado touched down in Temple last year. VIDEO: Guide to the KXAN Weather app "It was maybe 6:15-ish that the app alerted me that there was a Tornado Warning for Temple," Ryle recounts. "I heard no sirens." Plaza in Temple, Texas destroyed by tornado on May 22, 2024 (KXAN Photos/Ed Zavala). Although outside of the KXAN viewing area, the weather app alerted Ryle to the warning, which prompted him and his mom to move to their tornado-safe room. "If I hadn't had the app, I would not have known to get her in the bathtub," he said. Given how popular boating is in Central Texas, the weather app is also useful over both land and water, notifying users of incoming weather. Lake Travis Boat Captain Mike Bernhardt found this critical in keeping his passengers safe while out on the water this past season. "Being able to look at that radar and ahead of time say, 'hey, you know what? Let's prepare and get things going so that we can at least maneuver safely and not really put our guests at risk'. It helped a lot. It's definitely made a big impact," he said. Lake Travis Marina damage from storms on Aug. 22, 2020 (KXAN Photo/Alex Hoder) Alerts via text message Another way to get important alerts is signing up for WarnCentralTexas.org. This system, run by Central Texas' Capital Area Council of Governments, or CAPCOG, provides location-based alerts from first responders and local governments. How to sign up for Warn Central Texas text/email alerts "You can get an automated weather alerts. You can select which types of alerts that you receive, and you're automatically signed up to get alerts from your local emergency management or law enforcement," said Martin Ritchey, Director of Homeland Security at CAPCOG. Weather radio NOAA weather radio (KXAN Photo/Kristen Currie) Although considered "old school" for some, weather radios are to this day one of the most reliable ways to get weather alerts as they do not depend on cell service and can run off batteries in the case of a power outage. The key to getting these alerts is making sure your weather radio is programmed to where you live ahead of time. It's also advised that you check to make sure your radio is working properly during scheduled weather radio testing done by the National Weather Service. How to program your NOAA weather radio Tornado sirens? Tornado sirens can be effective, with one big caveat. Their intent is to alert people of a possible or imminent tornado if they are outdoors. They can often not be heard from indoors or outside the city. In fact, many cities in Central Texas, like Austin, do not have them. Meteorologist Kristen Currie spoke with Travis County Judge Andy Brown about the lack of tornado sirens in one of the biggest cities in Central Texas. While outdoor emergency sirens are largely prevalent in "tornado alley," they're few and far between in Central Texas. (KXAN File Photo) "One of the downsides of any kind of siren is that it doesn't give information," Brown said. "You don't really know what it's for, and especially people today who've never heard one. If you heard one, you know, is it for a tsunami? Is it for a tornado? Is it a old timey air raid siren? It's hard to tell people what they need to do." Stay aware, stay prepared You hear it time and time again... but the importance of staying aware during severe weather season cannot be understated. Double up, even triple up on weather notifications if you can. These alerts could be what keeps you and your family safe when weather becomes dangerous. DOWNLOAD: KXAN Severe Weather Guides Be sure to stay with the KXAN First Warning Weather team for all severe weather updates. ...read more read less