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A BePrepared Solutions report series

Alert Pulse

Each month we look at the emergency alerts sent across the United States and what happened behind them: the floods, fires, storms and evacuations, where they hit, and what they cost.

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Every edition counts distinct warnings rather than the messages that repeat them, excludes tests, reports times in the local hour each alert was sent, and publishes what the data cannot answer alongside what it can. The figures are downloadable and free to cite.

Latest edition

Weekly report · Sep 28 – Oct 4, 2026 · Published Oct 6, 2026

Fire burns near Touchet as floods hit the Southwest and Plains

Evacuation orders near Touchet reached beyond the intended area. Flood emergencies in New Mexico and Kansas, confirmed Kansas tornadoes and California heat forecasts brought different instructions for residents.

4,143 distinct warnings · 2,178 counties

Monthly reports

Weekly reports

State reports

Kentucky · Weekly report · Sep 21 – 27, 2026 · Published Oct 1, 2026

Flooding displaces families and damages homes in eastern Kentucky

Harlan County residents needed overnight rescues as floodwater damaged homes, roads and water lines. Crews restored service while volunteers helped families clean up, and later flooding brought fresh warnings.

195 distinct warnings · 102 counties

North Carolina · Weekly report · Sep 21 – 27, 2026 · Published Oct 1, 2026

Ocean overwash cuts Hatteras road access as storms hit North Carolina

Damaged pavement left Hatteras Island dependent on emergency ferries. Inland, storms brought down trees and a power line, while floodwaters later receded in part of Bertie County.

245 distinct warnings · 115 counties

New Jersey · Weekly report · Sep 21 – 27, 2026 · Published Sep 28, 2026

Jersey Shore flooding forces motel rescues and closes roads

Floodwater entered rooms, trapped drivers and cut off roads along the Jersey Shore. Residents faced evacuations and businesses faced cleanup, while WHYY reported no New Jersey deaths by Sunday.

65 distinct warnings · 46 counties

Texas · Weekly report · Sep 21 – 27, 2026 · Published Sep 30, 2026

Flooding enters El Paso homes and closes West Texas roads

Residents faced flooded apartments and damaged streets in El Paso. Later flooding required a vehicle rescue in Hudspeth County and closed roads across the Panhandle and South Plains.

480 distinct warnings · 203 counties

New Jersey · Monthly report · August 2026 · Published Sep 22, 2026

Floods displaced students and a tornado touched down in New Jersey

August flooding entered homes, disrupted Rowan's move-in day and washed out a highway, according to university officials and news reports. Near Estell Manor, investigators found no damage definitively attributable to a brief tornado.

375 distinct warnings · 53 counties

Virginia · Monthly report · August 2026 · Published Sep 22, 2026

Floods and falling trees damaged homes and closed roads across Virginia

August flooding cut off Patrick County residents, while storms damaged homes and closed roads and parks elsewhere in Virginia. Recovery continued after the warnings ended.

1,157 distinct warnings · 266 counties