One criticism in the handling of the February and March floods in Queensland and Northern NSW was that warnings were late or didn't arrive at all.
A new push notification feature has been added to the Bureau of Meteorology's BOM Weather app to help provide more targeted advice to communities during severe weather.
The Bureau said the push notifications are another way it can equip communities with the information they need to make informed decisions.
Last week, former governor and chief justice Paul de Jersey handed down an independent review into Brisbane City Council's handling of February's flood disaster.
Mr de Jersey recommended widespread change in areas including emergency warnings, planning, flood proofing and infrastructure.
Many Brisbane residents like, Sonia Eggins-Allman only received a mobile alert from the council 24 hours after her home began to flood.
"By the time we actually got the message from Brisbane City Council to say that we were in a flood risk, the second level already had water through it," Ms Eggins-Allman said.
What warnings will the BOM weather app send?
The BOM Weather app offers six types of weather warnings:
- Tropical cyclones
- Fires
- Floods
- Tsunamis
- Severe thunderstorms
- Severe weather
The BOM weather app already provides users information about rain, wind, temperature and shows warnings.
How do I receive weather warnings from the BOM Weather app?
- 1.You will need to have the latest version of the BOM Weather app installed on your phone.
- 2.Once your app is updated, you will have to accept the BOM's new terms and conditions.
- 3.After selecting "notifications" in the menu section, you will be asked to enable notifications.
- 4.Then select your location and what warnings you would like to receive notifications about on your device.
BOM's decision support services general manager Sandy Whight said the app works on all supported operating systems.
"This new function will make it even easier to access simple weather information at their fingertips."
How soon will I be warned about a severe weather event on the app?
In the new terms and condition of the app, it advises users not to rely "only on push notifications for warnings" for severe weather events as "you may not get them in time or at all".
"Push notifications are not comprehensive, are not advice, don't take your circumstance into account," the BOM weather app terms and condition states.
Mr Whight said the BOM encourages people to offer feedback about their experiences with the app so it can improve the way it delivers weather information to communities.
"Users can lodge their feedback through the app feedback form with as much detail as possible to allow Bureau experts to continue refining and tailoring the BOM Weather app to meet their needs," she said.
