The Earth gave warning. Reading it in time is the hard part

An Alaskan tsunami, a restless volcano and hurricane maps show the same gap between signs and action.

In Alaska, a massive landslide set off the second-highest tsunami ever recorded, driving water and debris 1,580 feet (about 480 metres) up a mountainside only hours after tourists had been in the area ^[1]. Scientists found that warning signs came first: the glacier had been retreating fast, heavy rain had fallen, and thousands of tiny tremors had been recorded ^[1].

In Nicaragua, satellites picked up unusual movement of the ground at Masaya volcano. Researchers read it as evidence of two hidden sources of magma shifting deep below, and say the finding could improve eruption forecasts for a volcano that lies near some two million people ^[2].

Better signals do not always lead to safer choices. A study of hurricane forecast graphics found that improved maps can help people see which areas are threatened, without making them more likely to recognise the danger or to protect themselves ^[3]. A widespread misunderstanding of the familiar forecast cone also persists, the researchers found, leaving a gap between accurate forecasts and how prepared people are ^[3].

Taken together, the three studies describe one gap: signs that can now be measured, and the step from measuring them to acting on them ^[1][2][3].

Sources

1. Alaska’s monster tsunami sent water 1,580 feet up a mountainScienceDaily · Earth & Climate · sciencedaily.com
2. Something strange is happening beneath a volcano near 2 million peopleScienceDaily · Earth & Climate · sciencedaily.com
3. Hurricane warning maps are improving, but a dangerous problem remainsScienceDaily · Earth & Climate · sciencedaily.com