Howard County commissioners voted Monday to continue talks with the National Weather Service about placing a NOAA Weather Radio transmitter on the county's South Mountain communications tower.

The move could preserve weather radio coverage for Howard County and surrounding areas, but Precinct 3 Commissioner Jimmie Long raised strong concerns about protecting the county's emergency communications system.

Chris Stickney of the National Weather Service told the court that the transmitter near Big Spring now reaches roughly 50 miles, covering all of Howard County and portions of neighboring counties.