Matt TaraldsenSaint Cloud State UniversityMeteorology-Communications Student

MNgage

Survey Questions & Test Season Responses

Amanda GraningForecaster/Meteorologist

National Weather Service, WFO Duluth, MN

This survey was created by Matt Taraldsen, a meteorology student at Saint Cloud State University, under the guidance of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences professor Dr. Anthony Hansen, Communication Studies professor Suzanne Stangl-Erkens and meteorologists from the National Weather Service office in Duluth, Minnesota.

Post Storm Survey (PSS)

poststormsurvey@gmail.com

http://studentweb.stcloudstate.edu/tama0502/poststormsurvey.html

Post Storm Survey (PSS)

“Need a process by which WFO [Weather Forecast Offices] can systematically gather local customer input and local research

results … and turn that information into improved products and services” Ray Wolf – Science and Operations Officer (Science Operations

Officer) NWS WFO Davenport, IA

Goal

Motivation

Improve communication & effectiveness of winter weather information and threat by gaining insight into perceptions and decision making processes related to hazardous winter weather.

Test SeasonMarch-April 2008

Only included winter storms that Affected Duluth, MN Forecast Area

Proposed for Winter Events Requiring a “Warning.” Didn’t quite work that way…No Storms. Winter finally arrive March & April 2008 Posted Survey for Three Winter Events

• One case (March 18th) did not have a Warning but was still used in Test season data

Received over 500 responses Total

Post Storm SurveyTest Season; March-April 2008

Data went into an interactive web based interface Analyzed by Matt Taraldsen Presented Test Season Results:

Partners and Faculty at SCSU Presented at Northern Plains Winter Storm Conference

2008 Will be a few adjustments to questions for 2008-2009

season

Wide Range of Winter Storms(All Affected NE Minnesota & NW Wisconsin)

Test Season EventsMarch-April 2008

Snowfall Amounts20080 March 18th

Blizzard of 2008 April 11th

Winter Storm of 2008 April 6th

Snow Event of March 18th

Non-Warning Event

The Post Storm SurveyQuestions

PSS Questions

PSS Questions

Survey Responses and Results

Blizzard of April 11th 303 Respondents

Winter Storm of April 6th 103 Respondents Snow Event of March 18th 100 Respondents ---------------------- 503 total respondents!

Question: Where do you get your weather informationon a regular basis? (Select all that apply)

* Combined responses from all 3 events

0.4%2.2%

7.8%

30.2%

13.1%

4.8% 5.2%3.5%

9.2%

23.2%

0.3%0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

Telepho

ne

Cell Pho

ne

NOAA W

x Radio

NWS W

ebpa

ge

Other

Webp

age

Friends

Newspap

er

Radio

Cable T

V

Loca

l TV

Own Obs

ervatio

n

Responses

Question: During this storm, where did you get your weather information? (Select All that Apply)

* Combined responses from all 3 events

Responses

1.1% 2.6%6.0%

31.7%

11.6%

4.6%2.5%

6.3%9.9%

23.1%

0.7%0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

Telepho

ne

Cell Pho

ne

NOAA W

x Radio

NWS W

ebpa

ge

Other

Webp

age

Friends

Newspap

er

Radio

Cable T

V

Loca

l TV

Own Obs

ervatio

n

2.8%

27.5%

2.8%

23.7%

1.4% 0.5%

25.1%

11.4%

0.5%4.3%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

Emer

genc

y Sur

vival

Kit

Extra

Food/W

ater

Filled

Presc

riptio

nGas

Salt/S

hove

l

Gener

ator

Incr

ease

d Com

mun

icatio

nNone

Other

Extra

Time

for D

rivin

g

Question: Based on the forecast, what special preparations did you take for this storm? (select all that apply)

Responses Blizzard 2008 April 11th

Question: Based on the forecast, what special preparations did you take for this storm? (select all that apply)

1.5%

10.6%

2.3%

16.7%

3.0% 0.8%

21.2%

37.1%

2.3% 4.5%

0.0%5.0%

10.0%15.0%20.0%25.0%30.0%35.0%40.0%

Emer

genc

y Sur

vival

Kit

Extra

Food/W

ater

Filled

Presc

riptio

nGas

Salt/S

hove

l

Gener

ator

Incr

ease

d Com

mun

icatio

nNone

Other

Extra

Time

for D

rivin

g

ResponsesWinter Storm 2008 April 6th

Based on the forecast, what special preparations did you take for this storm? (select all that apply)

0.3% 3.7% 0.3%

16.8%

1.7% 0.3%

12.8%

59.4%

0.9% 4.0%

0.0%

10.0%20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%60.0%

70.0%

Emer

genc

y Sur

vival

Kit

Extra

Food

/Wate

r

Filled p

resc

riptio

nGas

Salt/S

hove

l

Gener

ator

Incre

ased

Com

mun

icatio

nNon

e

Other

Extra

Time

for D

riving

ResponsesSnow Event 2008 March 18th

Question: Based on the forecast, what special preparations did you take for this storm?

Blizzard

Food and Water: 28%

Gas: 24%

Increased Communication: 25%

Nothing: 11% Extra Driving Time: 4%

Winter Storm

Food and Water: 11%

Gas: 17%

Increased Communication: 21%

Nothing: 37% Extra Driving Time: 4%

Snow Event

Food and Water: 4%

Gas: 17%

Increased Communication: 12%

Nothing: 59% Extra Driving Time: 4%

Responses

Snow Advisory 2008 March 18th

Why Did You Alter Your Routine?

41.5%

18.1%

4.3%1.1% 1.1%

7.4%

0.0%

5.0%10.0%

15.0%20.0%

25.0%30.0%

35.0%40.0%

45.0%

poor travel hazard consistency offorecast

snowed in work/schoolclosed

other

(Open Response)

Snow Advisory 2008 March 18th

(Open Response)

Why did you NOT Alter Your Routine?

0.5% 0.0%

37.3%

7.7%5.7% 4.8%

7.2%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

had truck did nothave togo tow ork

stormw as not

bad

forecastw as notaccurate

did nothaveplans

temps. stormnormalfor MN

Winter Storm2008 April 6th

Why Did You Alter Your Routine?

34.1%

0.0%

17.1%

7.3%

0.0%0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

poor travel hazard (blizzardconditions)

consistency snowed in work/schoolclosed

(Open Response)

Winter Storm2008 April 6th

Why Did You NOT Alter Your Routine?

4.8%

0.0%

22.6%

4.8%

16.1%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

normal for MN did not have to goto work

storm was notbad

forecast was notaccurate

did not haveplans

(Open Response)

Why Did You Alter Your Routine?

48.0%45.3%

9.3%

21.3%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

poor travel hazard (blizzardconditions)

consistency work/school closed

Blizzard2008 April 11th

(Open Response)

Why Did You NOT Alter Your Routine?

8.0%

12.0% 12.0% 12.0%

20.0%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

had truck did not have to goto work

storm was notbad

forecast was notaccurate

did not haveplans

Blizzard2008 April 11th

(Open Response)

Interesting perception…

“I live in Northern MN, a snow storm with 25” is not a big deal.”

These kind of open responses introduced the idea to include a question along the lines of :

“On a scale from 1 to 10, how does this storm compare to typical winter storm in this area? Please select a number from 1 to 10, with 1 meaning this was a very common storm and 10 meaning it was an extremely rare storm.

Conclusions

Significant number of respondents stated they altered their routine because concerned about road conditions/travel.

People did not react as much to meteorlogic terminology such as sleet and freezing rain; not a direct impact?

There was an increase in preparedness (gas, food water, communication) with highly anticipated blizzard versus low end snow event

Climatology plays major factor….what is viewed as “normal Minnesota”?

Post Storm Survey

Please Refer to the All About the PSS Slideshow for

details into the Post Storm Survey and background on its development.

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/Image/dlh/slideshows/PSS_background.pdf

How to get involved?

If you are interested in hosting a link to the Post Storm Survey on your website, please send an email to

poststormsurvey@gmail.com

Thank You!

Matt TaraldsenSaint Cloud State University

Meteorology-Communications Studentpoststormsurvey@gmail.com

http://studentweb.stcloudstate.edu/tama0502/poststormsurvey.html

Amanda GraningForecaster/Meteorologist

National Weather Service, WFO Duluth, MNamanda.graning@noaa.gov