Improving Storm Surge Risk Communication

Hurricanes such as Katrina, Ike, and more recently Isaac and Sandy, have shown that communicating the storm surge hazard remains a challenge. Some people continue to put an unbalanced emphasis on the wind hazard and therefore are not sufficiently equipped to make sound decisions regarding preparation and evacuation ahead of an approaching storm. Social science research has repeatedly shown that the hesitation to prepare and evacuate from storm surge stems from a person's lack of understanding of what storm surge is, their inability to personalize the hazard, and an inability to understand that storm surge could occur where they live. Even in a more experienced location like southeastern Louisiana, some people were surprised when storm surge from Isaac flooded areas that remained dry during Katrina.

To address these issues, the National Hurricane Center has been working with social science researchers from disciplines such as sociology, communications, and geography to engage its users and partners to determine the best path forward. The social science research concluded that the implementation of a high-resolution storm surge inundation graphic was supported overwhelmingly by the emergency management and broadcast meteorologist communities, and that this new graphic would have great potential to increase the understanding and awareness of, and response to, the storm surge hazard. The National Hurricane Center will commence a new experimental storm surge inundation graphic during the 2014 hurricane season. This presentation provides an overview of the new graphic and discusses associated outreach activities aimed at improving storm surge communication.