Confusing weather warnings — including from the press — could cost lives, experts warn

Most weather deaths are preventable — if people heed watches, warnings and the advice of local authorities.

But studies show those messages sometimes lack key information or are packed with jargon, leading to uncertainty at a time when people might need to take life-saving action.

“Those who are really familiar with different kinds of hazards or different kinds of events, it’s natural for them to use this scientific language or operational language,” said Jeannette Sutton, a researcher at the University of Albany and consultant who specializes in disaster and risk communication. “But it’s not as meaningful to the public as it is to the experts.”