Citation

Sanders S, Adams T, Joseph E. Weather Clim. Soc. 2020; 12(3): 473-485.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, American Meteorological Society)

DOI

10.1175/WCAS-D-18-0090.1

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This paper uses the "Super Outbreak" of 2011 as a case study to examine the potential gaps between the dissemination of severe weather warnings and the public's behavioral response to this information. This study focuses on a single tornado track that passed through Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The tornado caused massive damage and destruction and led to a total of 62 fatalities. The threat of severe storms was known days in advance, and forecasts were disseminated to the public. Questions were raised about the forecasts, warning lead times, and the perception of the warnings among residents. This paper examines the potential gaps that exist between the dissemination of tornadic warning information and citizen response. The analysis of data collected through a mixed-method approach suggests that, regardless of weather forecast accuracy, a significant chasm exists between the dissemination of warnings and the personalizing of risks, which results in limited use of protective measures in the face of severe weather threats.

Significance Statement

The tornadoes of 2011 caused hundreds of fatalities during a time in which severe weather forecasting had made great improvements in accuracy. This study aims to understand what the potential gaps are between forecast dissemination and protective-action responses. Perceptions of risk from a tornado remain low among participants even with ongoing exposure and confirmed receipt of tornado warning messages. In many cases, participants needed to personalize the threat before protective actions were prompted. These findings suggest an increased need for improved communication of risks. Future work should investigate risk perceptions and protective-action prompts for other severe weather phenomena among diverse populations.

Language: en