Social Science and Severe Weather: Evaluating a New Tornado Risk Communication Tool

December 8, 2014

Wisconsin Sea Grant

Wisconsin Sea Grant worked with the National Weather Service to evaluate a new tornado risk communication tool. The tool called impact-based warnings tells the public what impacts to expect during a severe thunderstorm or tornado. For example, instead of describing the size of hail or wind speed, it communicates that trees will fall down, mobile homes will be destroyed, or people will be killed if outside. It takes the guesswork out of the forecast. The tool improves upon past NWS communication by differentiating between severity levels, efficiently communicating the threat, providing the source of weather information, and using simple, concise, and attention-grabbing language.

Academia to Government

Sea Grant welcomes 2025 Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship finalists

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Sea Grant College Program is thrilled to announce the finalists for the 2025 class of the Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship. This year, for the first time in program history, all eligible Sea Grant programs are represented by a diverse cohort of 88 early-career professionals who will spend the next year working alongside federal agencies or legislative offices in Washington, D.C., applying their academic expertise to critical marine, coastal and Great Lakes policy issues.

Sea Grant & Weather Program Office award $1.5 million for community flooding social science liaisons as part of the Biden-Harris administration’s $22.78 million investment to help communities better prepare for water-related climate impacts

Today, the Department of Commerce and NOAA announced the award of $22.78 million in funding to NOAA labs, programs, cooperative institutes and other research partners to advance research on a wide range of water-driven climate impacts. Research topics include coastal and inland flood and inundation mapping and forecasting, and next-generation water modeling activities, including modernized precipitation frequency studies.

These funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will help communities prepare for a range of climate impacts and will directly benefit policymakers, emergency responders, researchers and the general public.

Sea Grant and NOAA Fisheries Announce 2024 Joint Fellowship Program Awardees

Sea Grant and NOAA Fisheries are excited to announce the 2024 National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)-Sea Grant Joint Fellowship recipients. This year, seven population dynamics fellows and three marine resource economics fellows will embark on critical fisheries research with support through this national program.