Societal Perceptions of the Warning Process for Gustnadoes

Jennifer M. Laflin, Bradley R. Temeyer, Philip N. Schumacher , and Todd A. Heitkamp, NOAA/NWS Sioux Falls, SD

Scott F. Blair and Jared W. Leighton, NOAA/NWS Topeka, KS

1. Introduction 3. Questionnaire Results 4. Perceived Level of Service

Gustnado: A short-lived, shallow, Category abbreviations for warning decisions listed below: EM = 22 EM = 20 generally weak, vertically Law = 11 Law = 11 SVR1 = Continue SVR with no additional info oriented found along Total = 33 Total = 31 a gust front. Gustnadoes are SVR2 = Update SVR and mention damaging usually visualized by a SVR3 = Update SVR and mention brief tornadoes rotating dust or debris . GUST = Update SVR and mention gustnadoes TOR = Issue a warning

Warning decision making challenge: Gustnadoes After the NWS decides to issue After the NWS damage survey are not tornadoes, do not cause the same damage as a SVR mentioning damaging determines that a gustnado, tornadoes, but look very similar to the untrained eye. Given these pictures and 2 winds and gustnado potential not a tornado occurred public tornado reports, what product do you think the NWS should issue? 5. Limitations/Challenges

• EM = 26 “I don’t think the public has a level of knowledge on Law = 14 Other: what the differences are between a tornado and a

Total = 40 • No opinion gustnado.” How do decision makers react when a tornado • Whatever the • “Having to deal with uneducated people” warning is NOT issued? What type of challenges do NWS feels is • “I don’t think people understand a gustnado and they face from the public? the best decision might be better understood as a tornado”

Purpose of this study: Assess how non-scientists view • “It’s easier to explain after the incident that the public was alerted for something other than a gustnadoes, and what products and services they Same question after viewing a video of the circulation: tornado than it is to explain why no warning was prefer during a gustnado event. EM = 23 issued when the public feels a threat existed.”

Law = 12 Other: • “We need a definition in place to put information Total = 35 2. Data: The Questionnaire • Need more information out about gustnadoes or we would be causing

• “I know it’s not a tornado, but some misconceptions with the public” issue a TOR anyway” Two groups of decision makers were interviewed:

• Emergency Managers • I don’t have a “say”

• Law Enforcement Officials 6. Discussion Questions

Same question after providing the definition of a gustnado: • Once made aware of the difference between 15 questions about warning decisions during a severe weather event with gustnadoes: tornadoes and gustnadoes, decision makers appear EM = 22 to understand it – but will the general public? • Set a scenario Law = 12 Other:

Total = 34 • How do we share information with a public that • Show pictures of reported “tornado” • “Not my decision to make” generally does not read the text in NWS warnings? • Show video of reported “tornado” • “Issue a tornado warning and • Give an explanation of gustnadoes specify that it’s a gustnado... • How would (or should) the inclusion of gustnadoes explain that it can look like a in Severe Warnings affect the siren • Show the results and post assessment tornado but explain what is different” warning policy of communities? • Evaluate the level of service of the NWS when no tornado warning is issued • How do we educate outside the spotter community?