Storm surge and "certain death": Interviews with Texas coastal residents following Hurricane Ike

Although evacuation orders were an important consideration for some interviewees, many obtained information about Ike frequently from multiple sources to evaluate their own risk and make protective decisions. Given the storm surge and damage Ike caused, a number of interviewees believed that Ike's classification on the Saffir-Simpson scale did not adequately communicate the risk Ike posed. The "certain death" statement issued by the National Weather Service helped convince several interviewees to evacuate.

However, others had strong negative opinions of the statement that may negatively influence their interpretation of and response to future warnings. As these findings indicate, empirical studies of how intended audiences obtain, interpret, and use hurricane forecasts and warnings provide valuable knowledge that can help design more effective ways to convey hurricane risk.