The Impact of Weather Culture on Messaging and Protective Actions

This presentation describes the publics’ relationship with their local and national weather enterprise partners to receive weather warnings and weather information in severe weather events and the publics’ response to the weather warning process conducted by the weather enterprise in a particular region. Using historical context (previous experience, including emotional vulnerability, with extreme severe weather) and current and varied severe weather seasons as context, this presentation is an analysis of weather culture: how a generally “weather aware” population prepares and plans for severe weather, how they get their weather warnings, and how understanding of weather messaging impacts their decision making. Particular issues in weather messaging will be part of this presentation, including the issues of warning inconsistency and public confusion; the weather warning challenges associated with vulnerable populations unique to various regions (particularly those with physical and emotional vulnerabilities to severe weather); and the special challenges facing those who live in mobile homes and other types of structures who need additional lead time to seek safer shelters.