Nearly half of the Danish population expresses limited or no trust in weather warnings issued by the Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI), raising concerns about public safety and the effectiveness of communication strategies. A recent survey reveals a significant portion of the population questions the reliability of DMI’s alerts regarding unusual or dangerous weather conditions.

The survey, conducted by Wilke for Kforum, indicates that 7% of respondents have “not at all” trust in DMI’s warnings, while 41% have trust “to a lesser extent.” This lack of confidence is a point of concern for DMI, prompting internal discussions and potential adjustments to their warning system.

Knud-Jacob Simonsen, the preparedness manager at DMI, acknowledged the issue, stating that if close to 50% of the public finds the communication untrustworthy, it necessitates improvements. The DMI aims to address the underlying causes of this skepticism.

This summer, DMI issued its first-ever category 3 warning, indicating “very dangerous weather,” for regions including East Jutland. The warning led to frustration among business owners, such as campsite operators and amusement parks, who reported a decline in visitors due to the perceived threat.

However, the actual rainfall in East Jutland and other areas did not reach the levels predicted, leading to a downgrade of the warning on Tuesday morning. These inconsistencies between forecasts and actual weather events contributed to the public’s diminished trust in DMI’s warnings.

In response to these challenges, DMI is planning discussions with the Emergency Management Agency and the National Police. The agenda for the upcoming meeting includes a review of DMI’s warning rhetoric and an evaluation of whether changes are needed to improve public understanding and trust. The central issue to be discussed is if the rhetoric used by DMI needs to be modified.

Warning 3 signifies a high probability that weather patterns could negatively impact the environment and disrupt societal functions.