1. Social Media + Weather =
#success
Rick Smith
Warning Coordination Meteorologist
National Weather Service Norman, OK

2. Played a
major roll in
Reaction,
Response,
Recovery

3. Social Media
emphasis in this
year’s severe
weather
preparedness week
campaign
Share life-saving information
to family and friends

4. NWS on
Social Media
Slow to begin…
but we are
catching up!

5. People talk about weather on social media

6. NWS on Social Media
285,000
followers
1,000,000
likes
257,000
video views

7. How NWS uses social media
• Share weather information
• Engage and interact with our fans and followers
• Gather information on local weather
• Encourage preparedness for hazardous weather
• Educate people about the weather

8. Share preparedness information before the storms
Share vehicle safety rules
Promote Weather Radio

9. Share urgent life-saving information
(shouldn’t be the only source)

10. Woodward, OK Tornado
April 14-15, 2012
Warning from EM
Facebook page

11. Highlight partnerships with emergency management
Skywarns,
external activities,
coordination mtgs

12. Provide plain language heads-up information
leading up to dangerous weather events
These common language posts are more effective

13. Relatively new to the NWS
Viewed on Mobile Phone/tablet

14. Educational and Preparedness Videos
Spotter training playlist

15. Benefits of Social Media
in Weather Events
- Reach a lot of people fast
- Reach beyond your usual customers
- Access a large observation network

16. Twitter Tornado Drill Review
March 6, 2013
Drill message tweeted by @NWSNorman
at 523 PM using the
#twittertwister hashtag

17. TOTAL RETWEETS
239
40% (99) in the first 5 minutes
64% (154) in the first 10 minutes
TOTAL POTENTIAL REACH
99,862
57% (56195) in the first 5 minutes
76% (74938) in the first 10 minutes

18. Facebook Tornado Drill Review
March 6, 2013
Drill message posted at 523 PM
on NWS Norman
Facebook Page

19. Facebook Tornado Drill Review
March 6, 2013
In the first 20 minutes…
• 20,448 people had seen the message
• 4112 of them got it directly from us
• 16,558 saw it because someone shared
• 554 likes
• 164 comments
• 515 shares
In the first 2 hours…
• 119,872 people had seen the message
• 8704 of them got it directly from us
• 112,192 saw it because someone shared
• 2057 likes
• 519 comments
• 1595 shares
Majority saw because of Share or Like
119,000 Saw the message…8700 directly got it

20. Access a large observation network
Have to use some caution

21. Challenges of Social Media
in Weather Events
- Competing/conflicting messages
- Workload can be a big factor
- Information sources are unknown

22. Confusing and Conflicting Information
Very easy for anyone to
create and share official
looking weather
forecast and outlook
graphics

23. Confusing and Conflicting Information

24. “They” say it’s going to be really bad!

25. “They” say it’s going to be really bad!
A “Buzz” is created

27. Virtual Operations Support Teams
• Trusted agents (volunteers) who lend support
via the Internet
• Monitor social media
• Gather and filter data for the NWS/EM
• Relay important information immediately
• Archive/record data as needed

28. Caroline Milligan and Scott Reuter

29. Net Control Station
Amateur Radio

30. Virtual Operations
Support Team
VOST
#txwx
#tornado #austinwx
@Wichita
EMC

31. Caroline Milligan and Scott Reuter

32. ?
Positives Outweigh the Negatives
Fad?
NWR?

33. Questions?
Rick Smith
richard.smith@noaa.gov