Survey Questions &
Test Season Responses
Matt Taraldsen
Saint Cloud State University
Meteorology-Communications Student
Amanda Graning
Forecaster/Meteorologist
National Weather Service, WFO Duluth, MN
MNgage

Post Storm Survey (PSS)
This survey was created by Matt Taraldsen, a meteorology
student at Saint Cloud State University, under the
guidance of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
professor Dr. Anthony Hansen, Communication Studies
professor Suzanne Stangl-Erkens and meteorologists
from the National Weather Service office in Duluth,
Minnesota.
poststormsurvey@gmail.com

Post Storm Survey (PSS)
Motivation
“Need a process by which WFO [Weather Forecast Offices] can
systematically gather local customer input and local research
results … and turn that information into improved products and
services” Ray Wolf – Science and Operations Officer (Science Operations
Officer) NWS WFO Davenport, IA
Goal
Improve communication & effectiveness of winter weather
information and threat by gaining insight into perceptions and
decision making processes related to hazardous winter
weather.

The Post Storm Survey
 Not a Critique of Forecast Accuracy
 Rather, asks a few Specific Questions
How did you received the winter storm information

How did you perceived the threat of the storm

What steps did you take to prepare for the storm

How did your plans changed due to the storm


Test Season
March-April 2008
 Only included winter storms that Affected Duluth,
MN Forecast Area
 Proposed for Winter Events Requiring a “Warning.”
 Didn’t quite work that way…No Storms.
 Winter finally arrive March & April 2008
 Posted Survey for Three Winter Events
• One case (March 18th) did not have a Warning but was
still used in Test season data
• All 3 Cases were in NE Minnesota (Duluth Area)
Received over 500 responses Total


Post Storm Survey
Test Season; March-April 2008
 Data went into an interactive web based interface
Analyzed by Matt Taraldsen, Amy Liles, Mike Bettwy, and

Amanda Graning
 Presented Test Season Results:
Partners and Faculty at SCSU

Northern Plains Winter Storm Conference, September 2008

Duluth NWS Local Media Workshop, November 2008

 Made a few minor adjustments for 2008-2009 season

Test Season Events
March-April 2008
Wide Range of Winter Storms
(All Affected NE Minnesota & NW Wisconsin)
Blizzard, 2008 April 11th
Snow Advisory, March 18 th
Non-Warning Event
Snowfall Amounts
2008 March 18th
Winter Storm, 2008 April 6 th

Survey Responses and Results
Blizzard of April 11th 303 Respondents
Winter Storm of April 6th 103 Respondents
Snow Advisory of March 18th 100 Respondents
----------------------
503 total respondents!

The Post Storm Survey
Questions

PSS Questions
what it looks like

PSS Questions
what it looks like

All Responses
Question: Where do you get your weather information
on a regular basis? (Select all that apply)
* Combined responses from all 3 events
35.0%
30.2% Biased toward NWS in test season. This
30.0% will be minimized in following seasons as
more weather partners post a link to the 23.2%
25.0%
PSS after a storm.
20.0%
13.1%
15.0%
9.2%
7.8%
10.0%
5.2%
4.8% 3.5%
2.2%
5.0%
0.4% 0.3%
0.0%
r
n
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Ca
Lo
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Te
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Ce
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AA
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NO
O
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All Responses
Question: During this storm, where did you get
your weather information? (Select All that Apply)
* Combined responses from all 3 events
35.0% 31.7%
Biased toward NWS in test season. This
30.0% will be minimized in following seasons as
more weather partners post a link to the 23.1%
25.0%
PSS after a storm.
20.0%
15.0% 11.6%
9.9%
10.0% 6.3%
6.0% 4.6%
2.6% 2.5%
5.0% 1.1% 0.7%
0.0%
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Responses by Event
Blizzard 2008 April 11th
Question: Based on the forecast, what special preparations did you take
for this storm? (select all that apply)
27.5%
30.0% 25.1%
23.7%
25.0%
20.0%
15.0% 11.4%
10.0%
4.3%
2.8% 2.8%
5.0% 1.4% 0.5% 0.5%
0.0%
g
or
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No
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In

Responses by Event
Winter Storm 2008 April 6th
Question: Based on the forecast, what special preparations did you take
for this storm? (select all that apply)
37.1%
40.0%
35.0%
30.0%
21.2%
25.0%
16.7%
20.0%
15.0% 10.6%
10.0% 4.5%
3.0%
2.3% 2.3%
1.5% 0.8%
5.0%
0.0%
g
or
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In

Responses by Event
Blizzard 2008 April 11th
Question: Based on the forecast, what special preparations did you take
for this storm? (select all that apply)
27.5%
30.0% 25.1%
23.7%
25.0%
20.0%
15.0% 11.4%
10.0%
4.3%
2.8% 2.8%
5.0% 1.4% 0.5% 0.5%
0.0%
g
or
ne
t
n
el
er
as
er
n
Ki
in
t io
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at
th
at
No
G
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In

Responses by Event
Blizzard 2008 April 11th
Question: Based on the forecast, what special preparations did you take
for this storm? (select all that apply)
27.5%
30.0% 25.1%
23.7%
25.0%
20.0%
15.0% 11.4%
10.0%
4.3%
2.8% 2.8%
5.0% 1.4% 0.5% 0.5%
0.0%
g
or
ne
t
n
el
er
as
er
n
Ki
in
t io
t io
ov
at
th
at
No
G
riv
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ica
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O
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Sh
/W
iv
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rv
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fo
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In

Responses by Event
Winter Storm 2008 April 6th
Question: Based on the forecast, what special preparations did you take
for this storm? (select all that apply)
37.1%
40.0%
35.0%
30.0%
21.2%
25.0%
16.7%
20.0%
15.0% 10.6%
10.0% 4.5%
3.0%
2.3% 2.3%
1.5% 0.8%
5.0%
0.0%
g
or
ne
t
n
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as
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n
Ki
in
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No
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In

Responses by Event
Winter Storm 2008 April 6th
Question: Based on the forecast, what special preparations did you take
for this storm? (select all that apply)
37.1%
40.0%
35.0%
30.0%
21.2%
25.0%
16.7%
20.0%
15.0% 10.6%
10.0% 4.5%
3.0%
2.3% 2.3%
1.5% 0.8%
5.0%
0.0%
g
or
ne
t
n
el
er
as
er
n
Ki
in
t io
t io
ov
at
th
at
No
G
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Sh
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fo
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In

Responses by Event
Snow Advisory 2008 March 18th
Based on the forecast, what special preparations did you
take for this storm? (select all that apply)
70.0%
59.4%
60.0%
50.0%
40.0%
30.0%
16.8%
20.0% 12.8%
0.9% 4.0%
0.3% 3.7% 0.3%
10.0% 1.7% 0.3%
0.0%
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Compare Responses
Question: Based on the forecast, what special
preparations did you take for this storm?
Blizzard Winter Storm
Snow Advisory
Food and Water: 28% Food and Water: 11% Food and Water: 4%
Gas: 24% Gas: 17% Gas: 17%
Increased Increased Increased
Communication: 25% Communication: 21% Communication: 12%
Nothing: 11% Nothing: 37% Nothing: 59%
Extra Driving Time: 4% Extra Driving Time: 4% Extra Driving Time: 4%

Responses by Event
Snow Advisory 2008 March 18th
(Open Response)
Why Did You Alter Your Routine?
41.5%
45.0%
40.0%
35.0%
30.0%
25.0%
18.1%
20.0%
15.0%
7.4%
10.0%
4.3%
5.0% 1.1% 1.1%
0.0%
poor travel hazard consistency of snowed in work/school other
forecast closed

Responses by Event
Snow Advisory 2008 March 18th
(Open Response)
Why did you NOT Alte r Your Routine ?
37.3%
40.0%
35.0%
30.0%
25.0%
20.0%
15.0%
7.7% 7.2%
10.0% 5.7% 4.8%
5.0% 0.5% 0.0%
0.0%
had truck did not storm f orecast did not temps. storm
have to w as not w as not have normal
go to bad accurate plans f or MN
w ork

Responses by Event
Winter Storm 2008 April 6th
(Open Response)
Why Did You Alter Your Routine?
40.0%
34.1%
35.0%
30.0%
25.0%
17.1%
20.0%
15.0%
7.3%
10.0%
5.0%
0.0% 0.0%
0.0%
poor travel hazard (blizzard consistency snowed in work/school
conditions) closed

Responses by Event
Winter Storm 2008 April 6th
(Open Response)
Why Did You NOT Alter Your Routine?
25.0% 22.6%
20.0%
16.1%
15.0%
10.0%
4.8% 4.8%
5.0%
0.0%
0.0%
normal for MN did not have to go storm was not forecast was not did not have
to work bad accurate plans

Responses by Event
Blizzard 2008 April 11th
(Open Response)
Why Did You Alter Your Routine?
60.0%
48.0%
45.3%
50.0%
40.0%
30.0%
21.3%
20.0%
9.3%
10.0%
0.0%
poor travel hazard (blizzard consistency work/school closed
conditions)

Responses by Event
Blizzard 2008 April 11th
(Open Response)
Why Did You NOT Alter Your Routine?
25.0%
20.0%
20.0%
15.0% 12.0% 12.0% 12.0%
10.0% 8.0%
5.0%
0.0%
had truck did not have to go storm was not forecast was not did not have
to work bad accurate plans

Interesting perception…
“I live in Northern MN, a snow storm with
25” is not a big deal.”
These kind of open responses introduced the idea to
include a question along the lines of :
“On a scale from 1 to 10, how does this storm compare to
typical winter storm in this area?
Please select a number from 1 to 10, with 1 meaning this was a very
common storm and 10 meaning it was an extremely rare storm.

Test Season Conclusions
 Significant number of respondents stated they altered
their routine because concerned about road
conditions/travel.
 People did not perceive the meteorlogic terminology
such as sleet and freezing rain as the threat;
because not a direct impact?

 There was an increase in preparedness (gas, food water,
communication) with highly anticipated blizzard versus
low impact snow advisory
 Climatology plays major factor…What is viewed as
“normal” for winter?

Post Storm Survey
Please Refer to the All About the PSS
Slideshow for details into the Post
Storm Survey and background on its
development.
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/Image/dlh/slideshows/PSS_background.pdf

How to get involved?
If you are interested in hosting a link to the
Post Storm Survey on your website, please
send an email to
poststormsurvey@gmail.com

Thank You!
Matt Taraldsen
Saint Cloud State University
Meteorology-Communications Student
poststormsurvey@gmail.com
Amanda Graning
Forecaster/Meteorologist
National Weather Service, WFO Duluth, MN
amanda.graning@noaa.gov
Post Storm Survey Team
Mike Bettwy, Matt Taraldsen
Amanda Graning, Amy Liles