Effective warnings about severe weather and natural hazards are becoming increasingly important. Weather is growing wilder and wetter, but also warmer and drier, bringing challenges for both people and nature in our country.

Experts expect the impact on lives, health, and societal values to increase. Therefore, it is crucial that emergency communication is as effective as possible. Halogen has developed proposals for new hazard warnings and collaboration for better climate preparedness.

Interdisciplinary approach

The Stimulab project “One Hazard – Local Response” was a collaboration between the Norwegian Meteorological Institute, NVE, and NRK. Halogen was the main supplier, collaborating with Agenda Kaupang, Capto, and Knowit.

Our team had expertise in plain language, systemic design, and benefit realisation. Together, we explored solutions to strengthen the ability of residents and local emergency authorities to act in line with a severe weather warning.

Fieldwork and Hans, a severe weather event

A primary goal was to contribute to increased safety and reduced damage through better warnings. We focused on the design of the warning itself and also how the warning process is connected.

During fieldwork, we allowed residents to create their own warnings and share their experiences with downpours, landslides, and lightning strikes. We also gathered ten different stakeholders to map how they collaborate during a dangerous weather situation in a municipality.

Midway through the project, the extreme weather event Hans occurred, bringing heavy rains, floods, and landslides. We took the opportunity to experiment with hazard warnings and tested whether a joint warning across the three hazard types could provide greater situational understanding for emergency responders. We found that a unified warning could facilitate better discussions about consequences and actions on a broader level while also enhancing communication to the public.

An improved warning

We further explored ideas related to warning design and improving cooperation among stakeholders. To enhance the warning, we spoke with residents and experts in weather forecasting and communication, and held several writing workshops.

We developed a new structure for the hazard warning with a clear layout and informative subheadings. Through testing and expert evaluation, we saw that the new warning helps residents assess the upcoming danger and consider what actions to take to protect lives and property. Together with experts, we created an initial draft for new standard texts to issue warnings for all 14 hazard types at yellow, orange, and red levels. 

A comprehensive warning process

Together with the project group, we developed a vision for coordination and user orientation in 2040, showing how stakeholders wish to collaborate and share with each other.

We also delivered concept sketches for the development of digital services and a corresponding roadmap for future implementation efforts.

Collectively, the project's outcomes will make it easier for residents to respond correctly when severe weather warnings are issued. This may result in fewer and less severe material damages, as well as increased trust in weather warning agencies. We have paved the way for better coordination and collaboration among emergency response actors in the field.