Tornadoes in Australia: are we prepared?

Australian summers are periods of extensive and severe weather events. This often includes rapid-onset events of intense rainfall, flooding, hail, damaging winds and, in some instances, reported tornadoes. Associated with severe thunderstorms, a tornado is a small-scale vortex or column of destructive rotating winds appearing as a funnel-shaped cloud touching the ground. Meteorological research by Allen and co-authors (2021) indicates that Australia experiences an estimated 60 tornadoes a year, all with significant potential for damage, injuries and fatalities in populated areas. Despite the apparent risk, a review of relevant literature and recent social media posts suggests there is limited community awareness and understanding of tornadoes in Australia. A research project was developed to gauge levels of existing knowledge and capacity from a disaster management perspective. The first phase was an online survey to assess community experience, awareness and preparedness related to tornadoes in Australia. Results from this survey highlighted issues of inconsistent terminology, variable understanding and limited preparedness. Importantly, almost 5% of survey respondents believed tornadoes did not occur in Australia. Subsequent surveys will investigate the perspectives of current weather forecasters and emergency service personnel towards developing improved integrated risk management approaches for such events