[EAS] National Weather Service Message Flooding

[Clay Freinwald]

MM Wrote - 

I feel the issue of not knowing whether I'm located in a given county when
warnings are issued while  travelling.  If I feel uncomfortable (I am quite
geo-aware when I travel), image the rest of the non-technical public when
they're out an about and hear a tornado or flash flood warning being issued.

Here in WaState we did a lot of work with the Seattle WFO to try and find
common ground between their Forecast Zones and EAS subdivisions (FIPS and
Sub-FIPS)...In the end, we concluded that it was not practical.

The average joe that lives in a given area often has no clue where he is
located reference geopolitical boundaries - He has a much better idea of
where the nearest Starbucks is located.   Someone traveling is even less
informed.   This is what makes RDS warnings that reach car radios even more
problematic.  Little miss Texter would find the information an overload.
WEA presents the same problems, at least with the most recent uses of the
system.   They keep peaching their ability to geo-target but from what I
have seen...They only add to the confusion with their blanket coverage of
un-related areas.    Until such time as all Wireless Devices (or Richards
Warning Appliances) are connected to location information, ie, GPS and the
device ONLY warns the user when it is meant for them at their location -
This will remain a crap shoot.

Meanwhile, I fear the majority will remain clueless, which to some extent is
a matter of choice.

Clay Freinwald