Executive Summary

The WARN initiative is a grassroots effort to enhance the weather understanding and awareness of communities that might not have access to scientific data and communication technology often taken for granted in the 21st century.  While not limited to serving the Amish and similar societies, the project takes into consideration the cultural aspects of those groups that avoid the use of modern technology, yet can still benefit from the advancements of meteorological forecasts and warnings to better protect themselves during severe weather.

Mission Statement

The WARN initiative serves as an ever-widening bridge to connect “off the grid” communities with state-of-the-science weather warnings and awareness, to ensure protection of their lives and property. 

Background

The April 3-4, 1974 Tornado Super Outbreak in the eastern U.S., which produced 148 tornadoes and killed over 300 people, served as a catalyst for the National Weather Service (NWS) to modernize its observation and communications technology. NOAA Weather Radio broadcast stations, which began as marine radio stations in the 1960s and numbered only 66 in 1974, were expanded to 300 transmitter sites by the late 1970s. Efforts to upgrade the nation’s weather radar network, which relied upon 1950s vacuum-tube technology, began in earnest, with the development of doppler radar.   

In the nearly half-century since the Super Outbreak, advances in computer technology and atmospheric science have combined to improve weather forecasts and warnings, which have saved countless lives. Communications advances have allowed the public to have warnings delivered to their cell phones within seconds of their issuance, and numerous smartphone apps allow users to not only track storms heading toward them, but provide meteorologists with real-time geocoded observations of severe weather to aid in the warning process.

Unfortunately, lost in all the technological advances that help people in harm's way are the off-the-grid individuals - and communities, like the Amish - who eschew modern technology for a variety of reasons. The WARN initiative is an effort to bridge this gap in modern weather knowledge and warning reception, by providing the latest information in a format reminiscent of the NWS’ pre-modernization public service awareness formats, i.e., printed flyers, in-person training, and NOAA Weather Radio.