2024 Severe Weather Emergency Survey: Hurricanes Helene & Francine

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Hurricane Helene

2024 Severe Weather: Hurricane Helene PDF

Hurricane Helene was a large, deadly, catastrophic, and fast-moving tropical cyclone that was the strongest on record to strike the Big Bend region of Florida.

Favorable conditions led to the cyclone’s gradual intensification, and it became a hurricane early on September 25. More pronounced and eventually rapid intensification ensued as Helene traversed the Gulf of Mexico the following day, reaching Category 4 intensity on the evening of September 26. Late on September 26, Helene made landfall at peak intensity in the Big Bend region of Florida, near the city of Perry, with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph.

TVB enlisted Dynata to conduct a survey of 1,000 residents in the affected areas, including the DMAs of Gainesville, Panama City, Tallahassee, FL-Thomasville, GA and Tampa-St. Petersburg (Sarasota). A short online survey asked about respondents’ news media habits before, during, and after severe weather hit their location, between September 26 and 30 2024.

Among the Results

The main information source for residents in a time of crisis – and the most trusted – is their local broadcast TV station assets.
72% of those surveyed sought information from their local broadcast TV news station.
Local broadcast news was the most important platform for making respondents aware of Helene’s impact before, during and after the storm.
90% of respondents agreed that local TV news was the most trusted, while streaming local TV news from websites and apps were the second most trusted at 85%.
The top reasons cited for both watching local TV news and using their websites and apps were that respondents wanted information that pertained to their area and they trust local TV news as a source.

Source: Dynata Hurricane Helene Weather Survey. 9/26/24-9/30/24 Adults 18+. S5/S5a: When the area you live in was threatened with the possibility of a weather emergency, and during and after the weather emergency, did you seek information/news about the weather emergency from any of these sources?

Source: Dynata Hurricane Helene Weather Survey. 9/26/24-9/30/24 Adults 18+. Q6: For each source, please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statement: I trust the news that I see/hear on this media source. Top 2 boxes = Agree Strongly and Agree Somewhat.

Hurricane Francine

2024 Severe Weather: Hurricane Francine PDF

On September 11, 2024, Hurricane Francine intensified to a Category 2 storm and slammed the Louisiana coast, pounding the area with torrential rains before weakening to a tropical depression. As an area known for devasting hurricanes, residents paid close attention to any and all storm news. But where did they go to get that news?

TVB enlisted Dynata to conduct a survey of 1,000 residents in the affected areas, including the DMAs of Beaumont-Port Arthur, Lake Charles, Lafayette, LA, Baton Rouge and New Orleans. A short online survey asked about respondents’ news media habits before, during, and after severe weather hit their location, between September 12 and 16^, 2024.

Among the Results

The main information source for residents in a time of crisis – and the most trusted – is their local broadcast TV station assets.
75% of those surveyed sought information from their local broadcast TV news station. Social media was a distant second with just 48%.
Local broadcast news was the most important platform for making respondents aware of Francine’s impact before, during and after the storm.
92% of respondents agreed that local TV news was the most trusted, while streaming local TV news from websites and apps were the second most trusted at 86%.
The top reasons cited for both watching local TV news and using their websites and apps were that respondents wanted information that pertained to their area and they trust local TV news as a source.

Source: Dynata Hurricane Francine Weather Survey. 9/12/24-9/16/24 Adults 18+. S5/S5a: When the area you live in was threatened with the possibility of a weather emergency, and during and after the weather emergency, did you seek information/news about the weather emergency from any of these sources?

Source: Dynata Hurricane Francine Weather Survey. 9/12/24-9/16/24 Adults 18+. Q7: Which source of news do you feel is the most involved in your community following severe/dangerous weather hitting your city/town/region? Under 2% not shown.

For more information, please contact Hadassa Gerber, Chief Research Officer, TVB