If a sharp tone and a test message interrupt your local TV station Tuesday afternoon, give it a minute. FEMA and the FCC have scheduled a nationwide Emergency Alert System test for Tuesday, November 17, 2026, at about 2:20 p.m. Eastern. The Michigan Association of Broadcasters’ schedule lists the test for every region of the state, including West Michigan.
What you’ll see or hear
If your TV is on and tuned to a local station through an antenna, expect a brief break in the program. FEMA says you may hear the test message, see it on screen, or both, depending on the station. Expect regular programming to resume after about a minute. The message identifies itself as a test, so you can leave the TV as it is. The FCC’s public notice lists December 3 as the backup date if the test has to be postponed.
Why your phone can stay quiet
FEMA is testing the broadcast Emergency Alert System this time. That includes radio and TV stations as well as participating cable and satellite providers. The October 2023 nationwide test also used Wireless Emergency Alerts, the separate system that sends alerts to mobile phones. FEMA’s 2026 test excludes that system, so a quiet phone is expected. Leave your phone’s emergency alert settings as they are. Wisconsin Emergency Management’s public notice also confirms that the test message won’t be sent to phones.
How to check your antenna setup
If you’d like to hear or see the test, switch your TV to its antenna input and tune to a local station you already receive before 2:20 p.m. You can also listen on local broadcast radio. If you miss the short interruption, check that your regular channels still play before changing any settings. If a station was already missing or breaking up, use Transition TV’s local channel lookup to see what’s estimated at your location, then try these indoor reception checks.
Schedule and test details checked November 13, 2026.
