Information We May Collect

Depending on how you use the website, we may collect the following information:

• Name, if you choose to provide it.
• Email address, such as when you subscribe, contact us, or submit a weather report.
• County, town, city, or general location information submitted with weather reports.
• Weather report details, including storm damage, flooding, snow, hail, wind, or other local conditions.
• Photo or video links that you choose to submit.
• Permission status for whether MD Weather Alerts may share your report or photo with credit.
• Technical information that may be collected automatically by WordPress, Jetpack, plugins, analytics tools, security tools, or hosting services, such as IP address, browser type, device information, pages visited, and general usage data.

MD Weather Alerts Mobile App

MD Weather Alerts may offer a mobile app to make Maryland weather information easier to access, including alerts, forecasts, radar, blog updates, push notifications, and community weather reports.

Information You Provide

If you use app features such as submitting a weather report, contacting MD Weather Alerts, or subscribing for updates, we may collect information you choose to provide, such as your name, email address, county, town/city, report type, written details, and any photo or image you choose to upload.

Location Information

The app may request access to your location to help show nearby weather information, local alerts, forecasts, radar, or community reports. Location access is optional and controlled by your device settings. You may deny or disable location access at any time through your device settings.

Photos and Uploaded Content

If you choose to upload a photo or image with a weather report, that file may be stored and reviewed by MD Weather Alerts. Only submit photos or content you took yourself or have permission to share. Submitted reports and images may be reviewed before anything appears publicly.

Push Notifications

The app may ask permission to send push notifications for weather alerts, forecast updates, safety information, or important MD Weather Alerts updates. You can turn notifications off at any time through your device settings.

How App Information Is Used

Information collected through the app may be used to provide weather features, improve local reporting tools, review submitted reports, send requested notifications, respond to messages, improve the app experience, and help Marylanders stay informed.

Information Sharing

MD Weather Alerts does not sell personal information. Submitted weather reports may be shared publicly only after review and approval. Public reports may include general location information such as county or town/city, report type, report details, and approved images. Email addresses are not displayed publicly.

Third-Party Services

The app may use third-party services for features such as weather data, maps, radar, notifications, analytics, app hosting, or app store distribution. These services may process limited information needed to provide those features.

Children’s Privacy

The MD Weather Alerts app is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has submitted personal information, please contact us so it can be reviewed and removed if needed.

Your Choices

You can control app permissions such as location, photos, and notifications through your device settings. You may also contact MD Weather Alerts to ask questions about app-related privacy or request removal of submitted information when possible.

How We Use Information

Information submitted through this website may be used to:

• Respond to messages or questions.
• Review and verify submitted weather reports.
• Share community weather reports, photos, or videos when permission is provided.
• Send email updates to subscribers when new posts are published.
• Improve website content, features, safety messaging, and weather communication.
• Maintain website security and reduce spam or abuse.

Email Subscriptions

If you subscribe to receive updates, your email address may be used to send new MD Weather Alerts posts, forecast breakdowns, severe weather updates, blog posts, or related website updates.

Email subscriptions may be managed through WordPress, Jetpack, or another email/newsletter service. You should be able to unsubscribe using the unsubscribe link included in email messages.

Weather Reports and Submitted Content

When you submit a weather report, you may choose to provide details such as your county, town/city, report type, report description, and photo or video links.

If you give permission for MD Weather Alerts to share your report or photo with credit, submitted content may be used in website posts, social media updates, weather discussions, community reports, or related MD Weather Alerts content.

Please do not submit private addresses, sensitive personal information, unsafe details, or content you do not have permission to share.

Contact Forms

When you send a message through the Contact page, we may collect your name, email address, reason for contact, and message content. This information is used to respond to your message and manage communication with MD Weather Alerts.

Donations and Support Links

If you click a donation or support link, you may be taken to a third-party payment or support platform. MD Weather Alerts does not directly collect or store your payment card information through this website unless specifically stated otherwise.

Donation platforms may have their own privacy policies, terms, and data practices. Please review those policies before submitting payment information.

Cookies, Analytics, and Website Tools

This website may use cookies, analytics, spam protection, security tools, embedded content, or third-party services to operate and improve the site.

These tools may collect technical information such as browser type, device type, IP address, pages viewed, referring pages, and general site usage. This information helps with website security, performance, analytics, and spam prevention.

Third-Party Services

MD Weather Alerts may use or link to third-party services, including but not limited to WordPress, Jetpack, newsletter/email tools, donation platforms, social media platforms, analytics services, and National Weather Service data.

Third-party services may collect information according to their own privacy policies. MD Weather Alerts is not responsible for the privacy practices of external websites or platforms.

National Weather Service Data

Some forecast and alert features on this website may use official National Weather Service data. These features are provided for public awareness and convenience. For official warnings, forecasts, and emergency instructions, always follow the National Weather Service and local authorities.

How Information Is Shared

MD Weather Alerts does not sell personal information. Information may be shared only in limited situations, such as:

• When you give permission to share a weather report, photo, or video.
• When needed to operate the website through service providers, plugins, hosting, email, or security tools.
• When required by law, legal process, or safety-related concerns.
• When necessary to prevent spam, abuse, security issues, or misuse of the website.

Data Retention

MD Weather Alerts may retain submitted messages, reports, and related information for as long as needed to respond, verify reports, maintain records, improve coverage, or operate the website. Information may be deleted when it is no longer needed.

Your Choices

You may contact MD Weather Alerts to ask about personal information you submitted through this website, request corrections, or request deletion where appropriate.

You may unsubscribe from email updates using the unsubscribe link included in subscription emails.

Children’s Privacy

This website is not intended to collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has submitted personal information through this website, please contact MD Weather Alerts so it can be reviewed and removed if appropriate.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time as the website, features, laws, or services change. Updates will be posted on this page with a revised date.