Sandy, Haiyan, and 2.6" of Snow: A Failure to Communicate

Despite excellent weather forecasts, recent large-scale events have demonstrated dramatic dysfunction in our ability to communicate emergency information sufficient to motivate people to take the necessary action to defend themselves against the weather. This talk will look at the similarities and differences that led to messaging breakdowns in Superstorm Sandy, Super Typhoon Haiyan, and the Atlanta snow fiasco. In addition, broadcasting during emergencies is becoming more challenging as emergency information is increasingly designed for internet, not broadcast, distribution.