Targeted Tornado Messages for Motorists in the Oklahoma City Area

The National Weather Service (NWS) Forecast Office in Norman has partnered with the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM), the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) and Lamar Advertising, to test a hazardous weather notification system for motorists.

This notification system will provide detailed tornado forecast information via digital billboards in Oklahoma City. The intent is to enhance public knowledge of high-impact weather events with enough lead time to encourage appropriate planning and response. This concept differs from other operational systems by providing motorists heads-up information hours or even days in advance of potentially significant tornadoes.

This presentation will discuss the pilot project, the development of the messages and the early results (if any) from Spring 2015.