Extended Abstract (120K)3.3
Assessing how the U.S. public understands and uses weather forecast uncertainty information
Julie Demuth, NCAR, Boulder, CO; and R. E. Morss, J. K. Lazo, and A. E. Stewart
There is growing interest within the atmospheric science community about more effectively communicating hydrometeorological forecast uncertainty information, as evidenced by a recent National Research Council (NRC) report focusing on this topic. Among the NRC committee's recommendations was the following:
“To ensure consistency in the communication of uncertainty information and user comprehension, NWS [National Weather Service] should more fully study and standardize uncertainty terms, icons, and other communications methods through all pathways of forecast dissemination.”
To investigate how to improve communication of uncertainty information specifically for weather forecasts, we are developing and implementing a web-based survey of the U.S. public to assess how people understand and use weather forecast uncertainty information. The survey will include questions about respondents' sources and uses of weather forecast information, and it will gauge respondents' weather salience through questions about their interest in, orientation to, and awareness of weather information. These questions will provide context for analyzing results from the remainder of the survey, which will assess how respondents perceive, understand, and use different types of weather forecast uncertainty information. This presentation will include an overview of the survey, some preliminary analysis of the survey data, and information about the next steps of this work.
Session 3, *Weather and Society * Integrated Studies (WAS*IS)*
Tuesday, 16 January 2007, 8:30 AM-4:30 PM, 206A
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