Ann Bostrom Explores How the Public Perceives Hurricane Risks
Posted: 4/30/2018 (CSDE Research)
Despite advanced technical forecasting, hurricanes continue to trigger devastating human and economic losses. CSDE Affiliate Ann Bostrom, a Professor at the Evans School, examines how the public perceives hurricane risk in “Eyeing the Storm: How Residents of Coastal Florida see Hurricane Forecasts and Warning.” The article, published in International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction with co-authors Rebecca Morss, Jeffrey K. Lazo, Julie Demuth, and Heather Lazrus, focuses on Miami-Dade County, which is one of the most hurricane-prone areas in the country.
Through mental models interviews and survey data, Bostrom and her colleagues found that forecasting experts and members of the public have differing perceptions on the risk of flooding and storm surge. They suggest that these findings can inform improvements in the hurricane forecast and warning system to ensure that people have access to clear, comprehensible information on the risks of hurricanes.