The tale of the boy who cried wolf is ancient, but more relevant than ever. Today, weather authorities in Norway express concerns that the story might repeat itself in the context of severe weather warnings. Has there been inflation in yellow warnings?

In an information landscape that never sleeps, we risk losing the impact of warnings, precisely when we need them the most. With a rapidly changing climate, maintaining trust in the warning system and avoid diluting the concept of danger has never been more important. As the weather grows wilder and consequences more severe, it's urgent that warnings are perceived as precise, relevant, and easy to understand.

In collaboration with Yr, a globally embraced weather service, we’ve explored how design can reduce alert fatigue and rebuild trust in yellow weather warnings. By adjusting language and visual hierarchies, we’ve aimed to align the warnings more closely with how people actually perceive risk. At the intersection of behavioral design and information visualisation, we’ve tested how familiar visual references, like a trampoline flying over the hedge, can help make weather consequences more relatable and easier to grasp. With the user in the driver’s seat, we’ve worked to make warnings more situational and relevant, aiming to reduce the “cry wolf” effect before the real wolf arrives.