Roberto Sane*
Misconceptions regarding the relationship between land-surface features and tornado frequency as well as other tornado-related myths may have an impact on how people prepare for and act in dangerous weather situations. This study employs a phone survey (n=1804) to examine participants' perceptions of local tornado characteristics (such as movement direction, seasonality, and nocturnal timing) and belief in protection from land-surface features in three locations of Tennessee (i.e., hills, water bodies, and buildings). Most people base their opinions on their region of residence, but demographic factors, particularly age and gender, also have an impact. Residents of West Tennessee are more likely to overestimate the proportion of nocturnal tornadoes and believe that they are protected by hills, while those in hilly East Tennessee are more likely to believe that they are water bodies provide protection, maybe due of the area's proximity to the Mississippi River.
