I think a lot of people that were affected by 4/27/11 are smart enough to sniff out the hype. They trust the local mets they relied on, like Spann, NWS, etc. and will only get worked up if they sound the horn. It’s not always the case, but in my experience, those that get hysterical over a 240 hr GFS 500 mb chart are the ones that didn’t live through a major event.
I’ve ranted time and time again about the public and their interpretation of forecasts/warnings. But again, I think those that suffer from weather related PTSD/anxiety (I know as I was one of them) more often than not become some of the most knowledgable people about the subject.
On the comparing side, people will always compare an event with the last major one. Before 4/27, people even on this forum compared potential high end events to 4/3/74 or the Veteran’s Day 2002 outbreak. It’s human nature, but especially when you’re monetized on social media. This event won’t be 4/27. It will be its own unique event that will either fade into history, replace 4/27, or be somewhere in the middle. Spann said it perfectly, if the only tornado of an event comes rolling down your street, that’s your 4/27.