5. Weather forecasting

The survey asked the community a series of general questions about weather forecasts. Weather forecasts provide information primarily about daily weather patterns and short-term weather predications. Forecasts can be viewed as a means to educate and/or warn people about potential or imminent flood risk. The findings presented in Tables 9 through 13 show that there is a high level of interest in weather forecasts, with over 90 % of the respondents in all areas either listening to the weather at least daily or more often (Table 9). A range of reasons that residents take an interest in the weather were given, with 'planning activities' or 'it interests [the respondent]' being the most commonly cited (Table 10). Most of these people recognise that they may need to change their activities due to the weather (Table 11).

Table 13 shows that a high proportion of the respondents (over 85 % in all areas) believe weather forecasts most of the time or some of the time. This information, when related back to Table 11, shows that belief in weather forecasts can influence behaviour. However, since around 39 to 50 % stated that forecasting was only 'sometimes' a determinant of their behaviour, further work is required to examine the conditions under which it does or does not influence behaviour. Television (90 to 95 %) and radio (60 to 76 %) are the most effective means to distribute such information (Table 12).