Theses and Dissertations

ORCID

https://orcid.org/0009-0006-1193-7036

Advisor

Saunders, Michelle

Committee Member

Sherman-Morris, Kathleen

Committee Member

Brown, Michael

Date of Degree

5-15-2026

Original embargo terms

Visible MSU Only 1 year

Document Type

Graduate Thesis - Campus Access Only

Major

Geoscience (Professional Meteorology/Climatology)

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Department of Geosciences

Abstract

Tornado emergencies are designed to convey an elevated level of urgency and certainty, yet it remains unclear whether the public recognizes this distinction and responds as intended. To address this gap, a within-subjects survey experiment of 301 adults in Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, and Tennessee evaluated official WEA messages for both tornado warnings and tornado emergencies. Nonparametric analyses revealed that tornado emergencies were perceived as significantly more urgent and more likely to prompt immediate sheltering than tornado warnings. However, only 16.6% of participants accurately defined a tornado emergency compared to 52.2% for tornado warnings—despite nearly all reporting high confidence in their understanding. High weather salience and engagement were associated with faster intended sheltering, while prior tornado experience showed minimal influence. These findings suggest that tornado emergencies increase perceived urgency and decrease shelter delay largely through message intensity rather than conceptual understanding, highlighting opportunities to improve tornado alert communication.

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