University Students' Perceptions and Interpretations of Radar

Severe weather occurs yearly in the state of Oklahoma bringing heavy rain, hail and tornadoes across the state. The University of Oklahoma (OU) hosts thousands of students every year; most are in state, some are out of state, and some are international students. Some of these students may not be familiar with severe weather or how to prepare for severe weather. One powerful tool is the use of radar. It is important to understand how students are able to interpret velocity and reflectivity radar images as it pertains to severe weather. We completed a survey with OU students to understand their knowledge of severe weather and radar. These students were surveyed about their background weather knowledge and their ability to identify key features of a supercell from both radar formats. The secondary goal of this study was to understand how students use their knowledge of radar to protect themselves and their property. Participants were asked about severe weather safety measures and how radar influences their decisions. The results will show how much people know about reflectivity and velocity radar and how to read them, and whether they make the proper decisions based on their background knowledge. Results of this research will inform ways to improve radar to make it easier for someone to read, or suggest more effective strategies to inform the public about severe weather safety.