Reacting in Real-time to an Unexpected Warning Protocol during Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane Sandy was unprecedented in a number of respects, including the unexpected non-issuance of tropical-system watches and warnings north of North Carolina. The unanticipated decision by the National Weather Service, due to their then available operational options, to issue winter-storm-type watches and warnings while a hurricane was threatening a large part of the coast as well as inland sections caused last-minute scrambling to develop communications devices and techniques to convey the threat. This paper examines the products we developed at The Weather Channel in the middle of continuing storm coverage, and the modifications we made on the fly as the threat increased. Multiple forecasts for the same phenomenon, which at times were in conflict, were also confusing and challenging. This paper includes suggested solutions to the challenges a storm like Sandy presents.