Description:

The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center (SPC) develops and issues several forecast products that depict both severe and non-severe thunderstorm threats across the contiguous United States. Among these forecast products is the Convective Outlook graphic. Over the last two years, a variety of social and behavioral science efforts have been conducted in collaboration with SPC meteorologists to evaluate how different user groups (e.g., members of the public, broadcast meteorologists, bilingual speakers, etc.) interpret, use, and understand the SPC’s risk category system. Therefore, this session will offer three oral presentations that (1) describe the results from these social and behavioral science efforts and (2) consider how best to revamp the SPC’s risk category system to make it more intuitive, accessible, and inclusive for all end users. Finally, we anticipate and hope that a representative from the Storm Prediction Center will be able to present on the history of the SPC’s risk category system or speak to the ongoing transition process associated with these social and behavioral science efforts.