aimee fish with assistance from: donald moore and samuel shea noaa national weather service alaska...
TRANSCRIPT
Aimee Fishwith assistance from: Donald Moore and Samuel Shea
NOAA National Weather Service Alaska Region
WMO Open Science ConferenceAugust 16-22, 2014
Communicating Weather and Impacts in Communicating Weather and Impacts in Remote Alaska in a “New Age” of Social Media Remote Alaska in a “New Age” of Social Media
OUTLINE
• Background: • Coastal storm vulnerabilities• Challenges in communicating impacts
• Storm and service assessments• Communication infrastructure• Opportunities and paths forward
COASTAL STORM VULNERABILITIESKivalina Unalakleet
Newtok Shaktoolik
COASTAL STORM VULNERABILITIES
COASTAL STORM VULNERABILITIES
COASTAL STORM VULNERABILITIES
13
9
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State Disaster DeclarationsState Disaster DeclarationsCoastal StormsCoastal Storms1978-20131978-2013
Season: August – NovemberSeason: August – Novemberwith exceptionswith exceptions
2004-20135 Declarations,4 Presidential
COASTAL STORM VULNERABILITIES
COASTAL STORM VULNERABILITIES
State of CT:State of CT:7 hours lead time to 7 hours lead time to evacuate coastlineevacuate coastline
Western AK:Western AK:>>24 hours lead time 24 hours lead time (daylight dependent(daylight dependent)
COASTAL STORM VULNERABILITIES
Utility Infrastructure:Utility Infrastructure:Limited and vulnerableLimited and vulnerableoff the road systemoff the road system
COASTAL STORM VULNERABILITIES
CHALLENGES IN COMMUNICATING IMPACTS
CHALLENGES IN COMMUNICATING IMPACTS
CHALLENGES IN COMMUNICATING IMPACTS• Language
• 4 indigenous languages spoken
• Word choice
• Coastal flood / coastal storm / ET cyclone = “(fall) sea storm”
• Storm surge = “high water”
• Culture
• Speaking of bad weather can be thought of as calling upon bad weather
• Community Structure
• Local…. absent of borough (county or province) organization
• Often no official “Emergency Manager”
CHALLENGES IN COMMUNICATING IMPACTS
CHALLENGES IN COMMUNICATING IMPACTS
CHALLENGES IN COMMUNICATING IMPACTS
SERVICE ASSESSMENT: NOVEMBER 2011
NOVEMBER 2011
• Seas: 12.1 m (Central Bering Sea)• Wind gust: 81 kt (Diomede) • Storm Surge: 2.6 m (Nome)• Min. Central Pressure: 943 hpa• Day before: BlizzardDay before: Blizzard• Water retreat: Water retreat: Days - months (deep freeze)
• Sea Ice (help and hindrance)Sea Ice (help and hindrance)
• 37 communities reported damages• 1,000 miles of coastline damaged (closer to 1500)1,000 miles of coastline damaged (closer to 1500)• >$ 30Million in damages>$ 30Million in damages• Presidential Disaster DeclarationPresidential Disaster Declaration• Damage estimates delayed until spring/summer due Damage estimates delayed until spring/summer due to iceto ice
NOVEMBER 2011
NOVEMBER 2011
NOVEMBER 2011
NOVEMBER 2011We learned about dissemination:•Commercial / Public Radio: most broadly used•Commercial / Public TV weather•Alaska Weather Information Line (NWS “dial-a-forecast”)
• Note: does not contain warning statements•Phone briefings with community leaders - most beneficial to decision makers•Internet ~1% - <50% of homes via smartphone•“When are you going to start using Twitter? That would be useful”
City of Unalakleet, AK (population ~650)
NOVEMBER 2011We learned about dissemination:•Commercial / Public Radio: most broadly used•Commercial / Public TV weather•Alaska Weather Information Line (NWS “dial-a-forecast”)
• Note: does not contain warning statements•Phone briefings with community leaders - most beneficial to decision makers•Internet ~1% - <50% of homes via smartphone•“When are you going to start using Twitter? That would be useful”
City of Unalakleet, AK (population ~650)
STORM ASSESSMENTS: NOVEMBER 2013
“… some 200 honeybuckets – complete with snap-on-toilet seats for added comfort – arrived in the village of Kotlik on Monday. Flooding and ice blocks nine days earlier shredded the water and sewer system…”
• Multiple consecutive storms• Blizzard, surf and surgeBlizzard, surf and surge• Water retreat: Water retreat: Days - months (deep freeze)• Sea Ice (help and hindrance)Sea Ice (help and hindrance)
• 11 communities reported damages• Presidential Disaster DeclarationPresidential Disaster Declaration• > $15 Million in damages (prelim)> $15 Million in damages (prelim)• Damage estimates delayed until Damage estimates delayed until spring/summer due to icespring/summer due to ice
NOVEMBER 2013
NOVEMBER 2013
We learned about dissemination:
•Commercial / Public Radio: most broadly used (still)
•Commercial / Public TV weather
•Alaska Weather Information Line (less prominent)
•Phone briefings with community leaders - most beneficial to decision makers (still)
•And…
WIRELESS IS PREVALENT; SO IS SOCIAL MEDIA
Photos courtesy ADN
COMMUNICATION INFRASTRUCTURE
OPPORTUNITIES AND PATH FORWARD
• Mainstream media is still important
• Work with media partners
• Schedule call-in radio shows
• Mobile device service focus
• Mobile sites & tools are a must
• Need to be slick but simple
• Urban & rural demands
• Pictures & graphics!
• Maintain SA on communication infrastructure improvements and use
OPPORTUNITIES AND PATH FORWARD• Build our “everyday” reach into rural Alaska
• Focus additional posts on rural weather and sea ice• Become relevant in both rural and urban communities• Engage with partners & their social media (i.e., be more social!)
• Increase number of posts per event• Specifically mention vulnerable, at risk areas
• Outreach• Must include NWS social media – ALWAYS• Seek & seize opportunities to reach rural community members
(even if indirectly)
OPPORTUNITIES AND PATH FORWARD
Engage partners to better understand culture and
communities, and also expand message dissemination
THANK YOU!
• https://www.facebook.com/NWSAlaska• @NWSAlaska• www.youtube.com/user/NWSAnchorage• weather.gov/Alaska