Could New Tornado Warnings Save Lives?

Last week, before yesterday's intense tornado outbreak in the Dallas area, the Associated Press reported on a new tactic for tornado warnings. From the article:

…five weather service offices in Kansas and Missouri will use words such as "mass devastation," ''unsurvivable" and "catastrophic" in a new kind of warning that's based on the severity of a storm's expected impact. The goal is to more effectively communicate the dangers of an approaching storm so people understand the risks they're about to face.

Here's a video that provides an impression of what people heard in Dallas yesterday:

Will these more forceful warnings succeed in reducing the human cost of these storms?

Nathan Golia is senior editor of Insurance & Technology. He joined the publication in 2010 as associate editor and covers all aspects of the nexus between insurance and information technology, including mobility, distribution, core systems, customer interaction, and risk ... View Full Bio