Forecasters can use images in social media to better communicate weather related hazards of hurricanes, according to a pair of new studies.
Forecasters can use images in social media to better communicate weather related hazards of hurricanes, according to a pair of new studies.
Scientists at the U.S. National Science Foundation National Center for Atmospheric Research (NSF NCAR) analyzed 2017 Twitter (now X) data related to two hurricanes – Harvey and Irma. The researchers found that forecast information communicated in the early stages of storm development, when the threat posed by a hurricane is uncertain, sets the stage for how people react to subsequent warning messages.
The research team also identified ways authoritative sources, such as the National Weather Service, broadcast meteorologists, and emergency managers, can better engage at-risk community members.
“When we began this research, a lot of work had been done analyzing Twitter data in the post-disaster space, and we were interested in how people were responding to weather forecast information in earlier stages, especially as predictions change,” said NSF NCAR scientist Rebecca Morss, lead author of the Hurricane Harvey paper. “Twitter provided a natural laboratory for us to look at what communications people are responding to and what information they are sharing. This kind of research can help the meteorological community learn what are the most important things to communicate and how to improve that messaging.”
Read more at National Center for Atmospheric Research/University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Photo Credit: WikiImages via Pixabay
