A New Paradigm of Weather Awareness & Preparedness Within the Norman Community

Being located in the center of the Great Plains, the University of Oklahoma is faced with a wide variety of weather. During active severe weather periods, a plethora of out-of-state and international students are left relatively unequipped to respond effectively to watch and warning information. Recent events in Norman, Oklahoma - such as the 26 February 2023 EF2 - reinforce this lack of awareness as the tornado tracked near the southern portion of campus, damaging a densely student-populated area. Using this as inspiration, OU’s Student Chapter of the American Meteorological Society and National Weather Association (OU SCAN) aims to further promote communication of weather safety by working with local apartment complexes to curate strategic plans of action unique to those developments. By utilizing both faculty and professional meteorologists within our field, OU SCAN plans to create accurate, yet palpable safety practices for the general student population to digest. This includes informative guides on basic weather terminology, best sheltering practices, and available on-campus shelter locations which can be distributed electronically to residents on behalf of the complex. Furthermore, the development of a minimalist flier that can be posted on the doors of each individual unit will aid in the accessibility of life-saving information for occupants.