Analysis of Messaging Used during Hurricane Michael

Hurricane Michael caused catastrophic impacts to both life and property to areas in the Florida Panhandle and the tristate of Alabama, Florida, and Georgia. This unprecedented event prompted numerous warnings, many of which had not been issued in the forecast area in a long time or ever, leading to many briefings, warnings, and watches addressing the threats. This study will be investigating messaging associated with Hurricane Michael. In order to evaluate the language and graphics used as the storm intensifies and approaches the panhandle there is a need to look through briefings, warnings, and other discussions created by the National Weather Service offices in Tallahassee and Peachtree City for the public and officials from the initial disturbance through landfall. This will help determine the strengths and weaknesses of the messaging and see how it could be improved in the future to better convey risk information to the public and officials. By reviewing the impacts associated with Hurricane Michael and the ways the messaging was communicated, it is hoped that the negative impacts and decisions from future storms will be reduced.