Seattle power outage

To check this alert, Claude Opus 5 (an AI) read it in full 25 separate times, independently. Each read decided whether the message answers each of the six questions and gave a short reason. A final reviewer then weighed all 25 and wrote the plain-English verdict you see when you open a row. The score (for example 22/25) is how many reads agreed; the 25 individual reads are tucked underneath if you want to check them.

• Sourcepresent25/25

  Final assessment

  Present, 25 of 25. "Seattle City Light" is named as the utility behind the outage and its updates, and the notice speaks for UW about "Four UW apartment complexes."

  Who is sending the alert and who is responding. People act faster on a message from a clearly identifiable, credible sender, such as a named department, the police, or a branded alert system, than on an anonymous notice. A branded signature counts.

  See all 25 individual reads

  1. present: "Seattle City Light" is named as the utility, and the message speaks for UW about its buildings.
  2. present: It names "Seattle City Light" as the utility and speaks for UW about its affected buildings.
  3. present: Seattle City Light is named as the utility reporting and fixing the outage.
  4. present: "Seattle City Light" is named as the utility behind the outage and its updates.
  5. present: It names "Seattle City Light" as the utility reporting and updating the outage.
  6. present: Seattle City Light is named as the utility and the message speaks for UW about its buildings.
  7. present: Seattle City Light is named as the utility, and the university speaks about its own buildings.
  8. present: "Seattle City Light" is named as the utility source, with its outage map and Twitter feed cited.
  9. present: "Seattle City Light" is named as the utility, with its outage map and Twitter feed cited.
  10. present: "Seattle City Light" is named as the utility whose outage is reported.
  11. present: Seattle City Light is named as the utility and the university reports on its own buildings.
  12. present: Seattle City Light is named as the utility and the UW speaks for its own buildings.
  13. present: It cites "Seattle City Light" and speaks as the university about affected UW buildings.
  14. present: It names both the utility and the university, "a Seattle City Light outage" affecting "Four UW apartment complexes".
  15. present: "Seattle City Light" is named as the utility whose outage caused it, with UW reporting the affected buildings.
  16. present: Seattle City Light is named as the utility, and UW speaks for its own buildings.
  17. present: "Seattle City Light" is named as the utility and UW speaks for its own buildings.
  18. present: "Seattle City Light" is named as the utility, with UW identifying its own affected buildings.
  19. present: It attributes the outage to "a Seattle City Light outage" and links Seattle City Light's own outage map.
  20. present: Seattle City Light is named as the utility, and the post speaks for UW about its own buildings.
  21. present: "Seattle City Light" is named as the utility, with its outage map and Twitter feed cited.
  22. present: It names "Seattle City Light" as the outage source and speaks for UW about affected buildings.
  23. present: It attributes the outage to "a Seattle City Light outage" and links that utility's map and feed.
  24. present: Seattle City Light is named as the utility and the university speaks about its own buildings.
  25. present: "Seattle City Light" is named as the utility, and the university reports on its own buildings.
• Hazardpresent25/25

  Final assessment

  Present, 25 of 25. The hazard is a named utility failure, "a Seattle City Light outage" affecting "some 1,000-plus customers" and knocking out traffic signals.

  What the threat actually is. A complete warning names the specific danger, such as a shooter, a fire, a tornado, or a gas leak, rather than a vague emergency, because people decide what to do based on what they are facing.

  See all 25 individual reads

  1. present: The hazard is a "Seattle City Light outage" knocking out power and traffic signals.
  2. present: The hazard is a power outage affecting UW complexes and knocking out traffic lights.
  3. present: The hazard is a "Seattle City Light outage" affecting buildings and traffic signals.
  4. present: It names a power outage plus traffic lights being out, specific infrastructure failures.
  5. present: The hazard is a power outage affecting UW apartment complexes and traffic signals.
  6. present: The hazard is a power outage affecting UW apartment complexes and traffic signals.
  7. present: The hazard is a power outage affecting UW apartments and traffic signals.
  8. present: The hazard is a power outage, with traffic signals out as a related failure.
  9. present: The hazard is "a Seattle City Light outage" affecting apartments and traffic signals.
  10. present: The hazard is a power outage affecting apartments and dark traffic signals.
  11. present: The hazard is a power outage plus traffic lights out along Montlake Blvd.
  12. present: The hazard is a power outage plus traffic lights being out along Montlake Blvd.
  13. present: The specific problem named is a "Seattle City Light outage" cutting power.
  14. present: It names a power outage plus traffic signals being out, specific hazards.
  15. present: It names a power outage affecting "some 1,000-plus customers" and knocking out traffic lights.
  16. present: The hazard is a power outage affecting UW apartment complexes and traffic signals.
  17. present: It names a power outage affecting UW complexes and knocked out traffic lights.
  18. present: The hazard is a power outage affecting more than 1,000 customers.
  19. present: The hazard is named as a power outage affecting buildings and traffic signals.
  20. present: The specific problem is "a Seattle City Light outage" affecting UW apartment complexes.
  21. present: The hazard is a specific power outage affecting UW apartment complexes and traffic signals.
  22. present: The hazard is a power outage with "Traffic lights along Montlake Blvd." also out.
  23. present: The hazard is a power outage affecting four UW apartment complexes and traffic signals.
  24. present: The hazard is "a Seattle City Light outage" affecting more than 1,000 customers.
  25. present: It names a power outage affecting "some 1,000-plus customers" and four UW apartment complexes.
• Locationpresent25/25

  Final assessment

  Present, 25 of 25. Affected places are itemized: "Stevens Court, Nordheim Court, Blakeley Village and Laurel Village," plus signals "along Montlake Blvd." and Pacific Ave.

  Where the threat is. Saying whether danger is in a specific building, a part of campus, or area-wide lets people judge their own proximity and choose a safe direction. Without a where, a warning is hard to act on precisely.

  See all 25 individual reads

  1. present: It names Stevens Court, Nordheim Court, Blakeley Village, Laurel Village and Montlake Blvd.
  2. present: Places are listed, "Stevens Court, Nordheim Court, Blakeley Village and Laurel Village", plus Montlake Blvd.
  3. present: It names Stevens Court, Nordheim Court, Blakeley Village, Laurel Village and Montlake Blvd.
  4. present: It lists Stevens Court, Nordheim Court, Blakeley Village, Laurel Village and Montlake Blvd.
  5. present: Affected places are listed: Stevens Court, Nordheim Court, Blakeley Village and Laurel Village.
  6. present: It names Stevens Court, Nordheim Court, Blakeley Village, Laurel Village and Montlake Blvd.
  7. present: Affected sites are listed: Stevens Court, Nordheim Court, Blakeley Village, Laurel Village.
  8. present: Affected sites are listed: "Stevens Court, Nordheim Court, Blakeley Village and Laurel Village".
  9. present: Named sites include Stevens Court, Nordheim Court, Blakeley Village and Laurel Village.
  10. present: It lists "Stevens Court, Nordheim Court, Blakeley Village and Laurel Village" plus Montlake Blvd.
  11. present: Affected sites are listed: Stevens Court, Nordheim Court, Blakeley Village, Laurel Village.
  12. present: It names Stevens Court, Nordheim Court, Blakeley Village, Laurel Village and Montlake Blvd.
  13. present: Named sites include "Stevens Court, Nordheim Court, Blakeley Village and Laurel Village".
  14. present: It lists "Stevens Court, Nordheim Court, Blakeley Village and Laurel Village" and Montlake Blvd.
  15. present: It lists "Stevens Court, Nordheim Court, Blakeley Village and Laurel Village" and Montlake Blvd.
  16. present: It names Stevens Court, Nordheim Court, Blakeley Village, Laurel Village and Montlake Blvd.
  17. present: It lists "Stevens Court, Nordheim Court, Blakeley Village and Laurel Village" and Montlake Blvd.
  18. present: It lists Stevens Court, Nordheim Court, Blakeley Village and Laurel Village.
  19. present: It names "Stevens Court, Nordheim Court, Blakeley Village and Laurel Village" and "Montlake Blvd.".
  20. present: Buildings are listed: Stevens Court, Nordheim Court, Blakeley Village and Laurel Village.
  21. present: Affected sites are listed, Stevens Court, Nordheim Court, Blakeley Village, Laurel Village and Montlake Blvd.
  22. present: Affected places are listed: "Stevens Court, Nordheim Court, Blakeley Village and Laurel Village."
  23. present: It names "Stevens Court, Nordheim Court, Blakeley Village and Laurel Village" and Montlake Blvd.
  24. present: It lists Stevens Court, Nordheim Court, Blakeley Village, Laurel Village and Montlake Blvd.
  25. present: It lists Stevens Court, Nordheim Court, Blakeley Village and Laurel Village, plus Montlake Blvd.
• Guidancepresent25/25

  Final assessment

  Present, 25 of 25. Readers get an action, "please use caution as you approach campus this morning," reinforced by a link to the Seattle City Light outage map.

  The protective action to take. A clear, specific instruction, such as shelter in place, evacuate, avoid the area, or run-hide-fight, drives faster and more correct protective behavior than describing the threat alone.

  See all 25 individual reads

  1. present: It asks readers to "use caution as you approach campus this morning".
  2. present: Readers are told to "use caution as you approach campus this morning" and given the outage map.
  3. present: Readers are told to "please use caution as you approach campus this morning."
  4. present: Drivers are told to "use caution as you approach campus this morning."
  5. present: It tells readers to "use caution as you approach campus this morning" because signals are dark.
  6. present: Readers are told to "use caution as you approach campus this morning".
  7. present: Readers are told "please use caution as you approach campus this morning".
  8. present: Readers are told to "use caution as you approach campus this morning".
  9. present: It tells readers "please use caution as you approach campus this morning".
  10. present: It asks readers to "use caution as you approach campus this morning".
  11. present: Drivers are told to "use caution as you approach campus this morning".
  12. present: It tells readers to "please use caution as you approach campus this morning".
  13. present: It tells readers, "please use caution as you approach campus this morning".
  14. present: It tells readers to "use caution as you approach campus this morning".
  15. present: It tells readers to "use caution as you approach campus this morning."
  16. present: It asks readers to "use caution as you approach campus this morning".
  17. present: It asks readers to "use caution as you approach campus this morning".
  18. present: It asks readers to "use caution as you approach campus this morning".
  19. present: Drivers are told to "use caution as you approach campus this morning".
  20. present: Readers are told to "use caution as you approach campus this morning" because signals are dark.
  21. present: Readers are told to "use caution as you approach campus this morning" because signals are dark.
  22. present: Drivers are instructed, "please use caution as you approach campus this morning."
  23. present: It tells readers to "use caution as you approach campus this morning".
  24. present: It instructs readers to "use caution as you approach campus this morning."
  25. present: "Please use caution as you approach campus this morning" is a protective instruction.
• Timepresent25/25

  Final assessment

  Present, 25 of 25. Timing is explicit, the outage "first reported at 7:32 a.m.," with updates stamped "11:29 a.m." and "4:47 p.m."

  When the message applies. A timestamp, the word now or immediately, or a phrase like until further notice tells the reader whether the danger is current and how quickly to act.

  See all 25 individual reads

  1. present: It gives the 7:32 a.m. first report plus updates at "11:29 a.m." and "4:47 p.m."
  2. present: It notes the outage was "first reported at 7:32 a.m." with updates at 11:29 a.m. and 4:47 p.m.
  3. present: It gives "first reported at 7:32 a.m." plus 11:29 a.m. and 4:47 p.m. updates.
  4. present: It is timed "UPDATE at 4:47 p.m." with the outage "first reported at 7:32 a.m."
  5. present: The outage was "first reported at 7:32 a.m." with updates at 11:29 a.m. and 4:47 p.m.
  6. present: The outage was "first reported at 7:32 a.m." with updates at 11:29 a.m. and 4:47 p.m.
  7. present: The outage was "first reported at 7:32 a.m." with 11:29 a.m. and 4:47 p.m. updates.
  8. present: The outage is time anchored, "first reported at 7:32 a.m.", with updates at 11:29 a.m. and 4:47 p.m.
  9. present: Times "4:47 p.m.", "11:29 a.m." and "first reported at 7:32 a.m." appear.
  10. present: Times "7:32 a.m.", "11:29 a.m." and "4:47 p.m." appear.
  11. present: It gives a 7:32 a.m. first report, an 11:29 a.m. update and a 4:47 p.m. restoration.
  12. present: It gives a 7:32 a.m. start and updates at 11:29 a.m. and 4:47 p.m.
  13. present: The onset is timed, "first reported at 7:32 a.m.", with updates at 11:29 a.m. and 4:47 p.m.
  14. present: It says the outage was "first reported at 7:32 a.m." with updates at "11:29 a.m." and "4:47 p.m.".
  15. present: It gives an onset "first reported at 7:32 a.m." and updates at "11:29 a.m." and "4:47 p.m."
  16. present: It gives an onset "first reported at 7:32 a.m." plus 11:29 a.m. and 4:47 p.m. updates.
  17. present: It gives the 7:32 a.m. onset plus 11:29 a.m. and 4:47 p.m. updates.
  18. present: The outage was "first reported at 7:32 a.m." with 11:29 a.m. and 4:47 p.m. updates.
  19. present: The outage was "first reported at 7:32 a.m.", with updates at "11:29 a.m." and "4:47 p.m.".
  20. present: Timing is precise, "first reported at 7:32 a.m." with updates at 11:29 a.m. and 4:47 p.m.
  21. present: It is stamped "UPDATE at 4:47 p.m.", "11:29 a.m." and notes the outage "first reported at 7:32 a.m.".
  22. present: It gives "first reported at 7:32 a.m." plus updates at 11:29 a.m. and 4:47 p.m.
  23. present: It says the outage was "first reported at 7:32 a.m." and stamps updates at "11:29 a.m." and "4:47 p.m.".
  24. present: It gives an onset "first reported at 7:32 a.m." plus 11:29 a.m. and 4:47 p.m. updates.
  25. present: It gives an onset "first reported at 7:32 a.m." and updates at 11:29 a.m. and 4:47 p.m.
• Impactpresent18/25

  Final assessment

  Present, 18 of 25. The majority reads "Traffic lights along Montlake Blvd. are also out" as a stated driving risk; seven held that loss of service alone names no harm.

  What the hazard could do to the people in its path. Beyond naming the threat, a complete warning conveys its potential consequences or severity, such as that a tornado can level buildings or that a leak could be explosive, so recipients grasp how much danger they are in. Research on warning message content finds that a concrete impact statement helps people personalize their risk and act sooner.

  See all 25 individual reads

  1. present: Dark traffic lights on Montlake Blvd. are flagged as a driving risk warranting caution.
  2. present: It flags a real risk, "Traffic lights along Montlake Blvd. are also out", which is why caution is urged.
  3. present: It notes traffic lights are out along Montlake Blvd., a hazard to drivers approaching campus.
  4. absent: No harm or danger is stated, only which buildings and lights lost service.
  5. present: Dark traffic lights along Montlake Blvd. are presented as a driving hazard requiring caution.
  6. present: Dark traffic lights along Montlake Blvd. present a stated driving danger warranting caution.
  7. absent: Dark traffic lights are noted but no injury, danger level or damage is stated.
  8. absent: The scale of affected customers is given, but no injury, damage or danger from the outage is stated.
  9. present: It notes "some 1,000-plus customers affected" and dark traffic lights on Montlake Blvd.
  10. present: Dark traffic lights along Montlake Blvd are flagged as a driving risk requiring caution.
  11. absent: No injury, damage or danger is asserted, only loss of service and dark signals.
  12. absent: It never says what the outage could cause, only which buildings and lights lost power.
  13. present: It flags a hazard to travelers, "Traffic lights along Montlake Blvd. are also out", affecting 1,000-plus customers.
  14. present: Dark traffic lights on Montlake Blvd. paired with the caution warning imply a real collision risk.
  15. present: Dark traffic signals on Montlake Blvd. create a driving danger, which is why caution is urged.
  16. present: Dark traffic lights along Montlake Blvd. are a stated driving hazard from the outage.
  17. present: Dark traffic signals on Montlake Blvd. with a caution warning implies a collision risk to drivers.
  18. present: It warns that "Traffic lights along Montlake Blvd. are also out", a hazardous consequence for drivers.
  19. present: It warns that "Traffic lights along Montlake Blvd. are also out", a dangerous condition for those approaching campus.
  20. present: It flags a driving danger, "Traffic lights along Montlake Blvd. are also out", warranting caution.
  21. absent: No harm or severity is stated; the text reports loss of service without describing what could result.
  22. present: Dark traffic signals prompting caution conveys a real driving hazard beyond the outage itself.
  23. present: Dark traffic lights on Montlake Blvd. are flagged as a driving risk warranting caution.
  24. present: Dark traffic lights on Montlake Blvd. create a driving danger, which is why caution is urged.
  25. absent: Dark traffic lights and lost service are described, but no injury, damage or severity is stated.