Effective weather warning communication is essential for supporting public preparedness and timely response. The German Meteorological Service (Deutscher Wetterdienst, DWD) is advancing new approaches through the RainBoW program (Risk-based, Application-oriented and INdividualizaBle Provision of Optimized Warning Information) to enhance the clarity, accessibility, and societal as well as individual relevance of warnings. Building on interdisciplinary insights, RainBoW aims to establish a consistent, user-centered foundation for warning communication. This includes the introduction of a streamlined three-level warning hierarchy, terminology for temporal warning phases, and the integration of return period information to illustrate event rarity. Accessibility, impact orientation, and actionable information are key priorities. Preliminary findings from external studies indicate that these criteria have the potential to enhance user understanding, support informed decision-making, and foster action readiness.
Leschzyk et al. (Tue,) studied this question.