Situational Awareness and Safety: Using Weather Information to Inform Decision-Making in Antarctic Environments

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Abstract To avoid hazards, manage risks, and successfully conduct their outdoor activities, people in Antarctica make weather-related decisions every day. Research on Antarctic weather information use and related decision-making, services, and user needs is limited. In a mixed-methods study, we explored how people use weather information to manage activities and weather in Antarctic regions. Survey (n = 62) and interview (n = 35) participants were deployed with the national Antarctic programs and tourism operators across a range of roles, activities, and locations. How and when weather information was used depended on people’s decision contexts, location, activities, previous experience, and knowledge. Experienced participants used weather information, their experience, and local knowledge to form and maintain their situation awareness. Situation awareness influenced participant’s decision-making, risk assessment, and planning processes and enabled people’s adaptation to changing circumstances, hazards, and weather conditions. As a part of these processes, forecasts were used primarily for preactivity planning and scheduling decisions. Tasks were prioritized and planned based on suitable weather conditions, experience, and safety. During activities, real-time weather data, personal observations, and experience were important for updating situation awareness, risk judgments, decision-making, and maintaining safety. Levels of weather service provision and training varied and were often not fit-for-purpose, which may adversely impact people’s safety in Antarctic regions. Results contribute to our understanding of polar weather user needs and how we may support people to develop the experience, knowledge, and nontechnical skills necessary for identifying and avoiding hazards and safe, efficient, and successful outdoor activities. Significance Statement This study examines weather information use and decision-making processes in Antarctica. Weather information informed people’s situation awareness and along with contingency planning, experience, and local knowledge helped people plan their activities, assess risk, and cope with unexpected situations. People—including colleagues, supervisors, and forecasters from local weather services—were important information sources and a part of people decision-making and advice networks. Training and tailored weather services are needed to help people better understand weather information and make safer decisions. Improved training may help people develop essential nontechnical skills like situation awareness and managing weather hazards and activity risks. Findings may inform service provision, training, and education and support wellbeing, preparedness, and more effective weather-hazard decision-making in Antarctica and globally.