Transcript CVCVC Course Summary

Communicating Climate
Variability and Change
Deirdre Kann
(with material from Mike Staudenmaier, MIC, Las Vegas)
Where to go from here?
Are things a little fuzzy right now?
What to do Next?
Review topics covered in this class and on
the Climate PDS web site
Determine modes/patterns that can have an
effect on the weather/climate of your area
Complete local studies, familiarize the staff
with climate variability and change facts and
details, be prepared to answer questions from
the media/public, and help your customers
with inquiries obtain data
Review topics covered in this class and on the
Climate PDS web site
Weather vs. climate
Statistical techniques
Climate variability phenomena: El Niño / La
Niña, Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO), drought
and teleconnections
Climate Prediction Center (CPC) climate
prediction products
Physical and feedback mechanisms involved in
global climate change
Determine modes/patterns that can have an
effect on the weather/climate of your area
Complete local studies and post on
web sites
Familiarize the staff with climate
variability and change facts and
details
Be prepared to answer questions from
the media, EMs and the public
Help your customers with inquiries to
obtain data
You may want to
prepare talking
points for your
office, to help all
staff members
respond to
inquiries.
El Niño Events
Solid Collaborations and
Exchanges Benefit All of Us
Establish and Maintain Strong
Relationships with the Media
Make good use of resources, including
the ESRL and CPC sites
Inquiries from the Media
and Public
Dealing with the Public
Listen to their question
Keep things simple – don’t use jargon
Be concise and repeat the concepts you want to get
across – analogies are great to use
Ask them if they understand the answer
Note their contact information if you need to call
them back after doing some research
If you aren’t sure of an answer, say so, don’t guess,
try to offer another contact
Website links can be useful to pass on
Dealing with the Public
Phone Rings: Public Inquiry:
Are we in a drought? It’s been dry
for a couple of weeks now.
What are some ways you might go
about answering this question?
Dealing with the Public
Phone Rings: Public Inquiry:
We just had over 30 inches of
snowfall yesterday. Was this storm
caused by La Niña?
What are some ways you might go
about answering this question?
Dealing with the Public
CPC issues a La Niña Advisory
What are some ways that we could
proactively get information out to the
public?
What specific information might you
want to share with the public?
Dealing with the “Print” Media
Give them the story first; be proactive
Provide “fact” sheets and background
information via email, or your web site
Keep things simple – don’t use jargon
Be concise and repeat the concepts you want to
get across
Ask them to repeat what you said or email you
the story before printing
Take enough time to phrase your answers
If you aren’t sure of an answer, say so, don’t
guess, ask if you can call them back or possibly
refer them to someone more knowledgeable
Dealing with the “Print” Media
Phone rings: Daily Gazette
What is this MJO that I am reading about in
this CPC product? (It looks like a
“pineapple express” is likely to develop
and impact your area later this week)
What information might be useful to pass on to
the newspaper?
How might you go about answering this
question?
Some Suggested Techniques For Dealing
With the “TV” Media
If possible, rehearse your message
Provide fact sheets or background info
Prepare for the worst; do your homework
Listen to the question asked
Offer a short, direct reply; don’t ramble
Never go “off the record”
Be friendly and persistent, but don’t get angry
Ask for questions/topics beforehand
Never guess, and never lie
Prepping for Interview on
upcoming El Nino
You will be conducting a TV interview in
an hour. They want to talk about El Nino.
What questions might you prep for in
anticipation of this interview?
What, if any, materials might you get ready
for the TV crew to bring back to the station
with them?
The “Bridge” Technique for
Interviews/Sound Bites
Generally want a 12 second response or less
If you say the name of the interviewer in the
middle, you have less chance of it being
split up or taken out of context
4 second short answer to question
State the name of the interviewer
Bridge to two positive themes
Approximately 4 seconds each
The “Bridge” Technique
for Interviews/Sound Bites
Question: We’ve had a string of really cold days here recently
with subzero temperatures. What happened to global warming?
Theme 1
Bridge
Answer the
Reporters
question
Name
Theme 2
A Potential Answer: Indeed, it has been quite cold lately, but climate change is
still occurring, George. While we would expect to see increased warming on
average due to climate change, the weather will still bring us cold weather
systems from time to time. NOAA continues to advance our understanding
of climate change by conducting research in weather and climate.
Other Questions to Ponder
Have our higher impact large floods occurred during
El Nino years?
We just received over two inches of rain in the past 30
minutes. Does this mean the drought is over?
How will climate change impact the local area?
How much of a role does global warming play in the
forecast for this upcoming spring?
Can I believe the long-range forecast for MJJ?
Summary
For these climate topics covered in this class
keep/make reference materials, stay familiar
with the tools and web resources
Stay on top of the phenomena that affect
your area, but be prepared for questions on
others
Share your knowledge with others – office
intranet, office web site, the media and public
Final Course Activity:
Climate in the News
The goal of this final class activity is to use
class materials and any other climate
information you may have access to prepare a
short briefing or oral response for a local user,
such as an emergency manager, farmer, energy
provider, school teacher, “weather weenie”,
etc.
The topic will be based on an article and
2011-12 NOAA Winter Outlook
Climate in the News
Work in your virtual breakout group with your
facilitator
Answer the questions posed by the local user,
which are based on the one of the three articles
provided and the NOAA climate outlook
One office in the group will take responsibility
for presenting the group’s answer
Climate in the News
You will have 25 minutes to meet with your
group
The answer may take the form of a set of
talking points, a briefing with slides, or a press
release
You may use graphics and/or information
from this week’s presentations or any other
climate resource in preparing your response
Climate in the News
At the end of 25 minutes, you will rejoin the
class
Each team will have 5 minutes to make a
presentation for the user
long
term
ave=
1.27
Each presentation will be evaluated by
CVCVC instructors