Climate Change and Weather: Navigating Trust and Misinformation

Extreme weather events like Hurricane Helene are challenging authorities and forecasters in communicating links to climate change. This has led some Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, to label climate change as a "scam. " The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Weather Service have become targets due to their climate research. A conservative policy roadmap suggests breaking up NOAA and commercializing the National Weather Service's forecasting operations. Kelli Burns, an associate professor of communications at the University of South Florida, highlights that even hurricane warnings are politicized today, creating a paradox where meteorologists must avoid panic while clearly communicating risks to keep people safe.Meteorologist Chris Gloninger stepped back from his TV career due to harassment for covering climate change. Despite accurate forecasts and improved communication techniques, misinformation and conspiracy theories are spreading, such as the false idea that Hurricane Helene was a government-made weather modification weapon.