Intended Response to Tornado Watches among Tennessee Residents

Tornado watches are issued by the National Weather Service when conditions are favorable for tornado formation. An individual’s response to a tornado watch may affect their ability to seek shelter before a tornado strikes. Here, survey data of Tennessee residents were used to determine common patterns in intended responses to two tornado watch scenarios: one during daytime, and the other at nighttime. Three common patterns were identified for a daytime watch: doing nothing; seeking information using technology; or seeking shelter and praying for safety. The two patterns for a nighttime watch were either to do nothing or to react actively, by seeking further information, shelter, and contacting friends and family. Logistic regressions indicated younger participants, those with prior tornado experience, and those who understood a tornado watch were less likely to intend to seek shelter and pray for safety during the daytime. Older participants and those without strong self-efficacy beliefs were less likely to use technology to find further information. For the nighttime scenario, participants living in East Tennessee and those who believed that bodies of water provide protection from tornadoes were more likely to respond actively, while wealthier participants and those living in single- or multi-family houses were less likely to respond actively. These results show that intended watch response is influenced by many factors, including age, income, self-efficacy beliefs, as well as knowledge of and experience with tornadoes. Additionally, those who do not understand the meaning of a tornado watch may be more likely to seek shelter prematurely.