Warning Reception, Organizational Trust, and Risk Perception of Vulnerable Populations in the Midwest and Southeast During Tornado Warning Events

Abstract

Studies have shown that the area traditionally known as tornado alley is shifting from the Midwest to the southeastern US. The shift in region is placing a portion of the Southeast who are vulnerable to tornadoes at increased threat during these events. This study compared how vulnerable populations within the Midwest and Southeast receive tornado warnings, trust in the organizations they receive tornado warnings from, and perceive their risk to tornadoes. Analysis in this study found that those who are most vulnerable in the Southeast perceive they are receiving tornado warnings at a higher rate than those most vulnerable. Additionally, the organization which is trusted the most within the Midwest and Southeast by the most vulnerable is the National Weather Service. While this is valuable to know, statistical analysis proved that these findings cannot be ruled out by chance. However, what was found to be statistically significant is that the most vulnerable populations within the Southeast understand they are at risk of tornadoes, proving that the hurricane focused culture within the Southeast does not overshadow the risk of tornadoes.