Researchers at Florida State University are exploring better ways of communicating National Hurricane Center forecasts.
This is your chance to express what you like about the cone of uncertainty shown by The Weather Authority when tropical cyclones are in the tropics.
Recommended Videos
FSU researchers want to understand how you perceive the NHC’s hurricane cone.
You can take this survey to help them understand what people see when looking at the cone and what can be modified to improve the graphic’s communicative properties.
The NHC says the cone graphic is the most used product accessed on their website. Despite its popularity, most users don’t read the documentation about the graphic, which could lead to confusion.
A 2004 FEMA study conducted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Army Corps of Engineers found “too many people place undue confidence in the forecast track of the storm.”
The cone’s purpose is to help people make timely and responsible decisions, but it does not convey any information about the size of the storm or potential damage.
Read: Do you understand what the cone really is?
Floridians have long been accustomed to seeing the cone in the media ever since their first use in 2002. However, many new residents to Florida may not know how to interpret the graphic.
The stakes are even more concerning with the recent surge of over 300,000 new residents who moved to Florida in 2020, according to the state’s Office of Economic and Demographic Research.