“As Milton made landfall…a verified account on X reposted a TikTok video of a massive funnel cloud with the caption ‘WHAT IS HAPPENING TO FLORIDA?!’” The clip, viewed 662,000 times, was a CGI tornado originally published months ago https://t.co/9yW6GumGMT
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) October 13, 2024
Meteorologists tracking hurricanes in the US have faced unprecedented levels of misinformation, abuse, and even death threats, as conspiracy theories about weather manipulation gain traction. These falsehoods have surged particularly during and after Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which caused severe damage and multiple fatalities across several states. Katie Nickolaou, a Michigan-based meteorologist, reported receiving threatening messages claiming that scientists were creating and directing hurricanes, with some even calling for their assassination and the destruction of radar equipment.
“I’ve never seen a storm garner so much misinformation,” Nickolaou commented.
Hi @Ginger_Zee ..saw your post. That's why I had to write this. This foolishness is unbelievable https://t.co/tNHabWUfa4
— Dr. Marshall Shepherd (@DrShepherd2013) October 14, 2024
“I have had a bunch of people saying I created and steered the hurricane, there are people assuming we control the weather.”
Thanks to @kate_selig for giving this story another meaningful platform and for the questions yesterday. https://t.co/3PkTFbtnxE via @NYTimes
— Matt Lanza 🤌🏼 (@mattlanza) October 14, 2024
One threatening post aimed at Nickolaou stated: “Stop the breathing of those that made them and their affiliates.” In response, she remarked, “Murdering meteorologists won’t stop hurricanes. I can’t believe I just had to type that.”
The spread of misinformation has been partly fueled by statements from former President Donald Trump and his supporters.
For example, Trump suggested that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had run out of funds for hurricane survivors due to allocations to illegal immigrants. This claim, among others, has been widely debunked.
Hurricane misinformation threatens meteorologists’ safety
The rise in conspiracy theories has led to a sharp response from current President Joe Biden, who criticized Trump for spreading “onslaught of lies” and urged for an end to the falsehoods. “It’s beyond ridiculous,” Biden said. “It’s so stupid.
It’s got to stop.”
Experts like Chris Gloninger, a former TV meteorologist and climate scientist, have noted that the misinformation represents an extreme continuation of a trend where people rely on extremist online figures rather than scientific experts. “The modern Republican party has an army of people who are on social media with huge followings who just disseminate this misinformation,” Gloninger said. Meteorologists warn that the situation could lead to burnout for those in the profession, as they are frequently targeted just for doing their jobs.
“All we are trying to do is protect life and property during extreme weather,” Gloninger emphasized. The spread of these conspiracy theories underscores the increasing challenge faced by scientists and meteorologists in combating misinformation and safeguarding public trust during natural disasters.
