US meteorologists face death threats as

hurricane conspiracies surge

"Meteorologists tracking the advance of Hurricane Milton have been targeted by a deluge of conspiracy theories that they were controlling the weather, abuse and even death threats… The extent of the misinformation... has stymied the ability to help hurricane-hit communities,

Katie Nickolaou, a Michigan-based meteorologist, … received messages claiming there are category 6 hurricanes (there aren’t), that meteorologists or the government are creating and directing hurricanes (they aren’t) and even that scientists should be killed and radar equipment be demolished.

“I have had a bunch of people saying I created and steered the hurricane... a hurricane has the energy of 10,000 nuclear bombs and we can’t hope to control that. But it’s taken a turn to more violent rhetoric, especially with people saying those who created Milton should be killed.”

One post aimed at Nickolaou said:

“Stop the breathing of those that made them and their affiliates.” She responded: “Murdering meteorologists won’t stop hurricanes. I can’t believe I just had to type that.”... It’s very tiring.”

… several of Trump’s closest allies have baselessly asserted that the federal government is somehow controlling hurricanes.

“Hurricane Helene was an ATTACK caused by Weather Manipulation,” claimed a video shared by Michael Flynn, a former national security advisor to Trump.
“Yes they can control the weather,” Marjorie Taylor Greene, a far-right congresswoman, wrote on X last week. “It’s ridiculous for anyone to lie and say it can’t be done.”

Chris Gloninger, a former TV meteorologist and climate scientist … said.

“I’m seeing my former colleagues getting threats, I’m getting messages that we are steering hurricanes into red states. It’s mindblowing, I’ve never seen anything like this in any disaster... What other profession are people targeted for simply doing their job? All we are trying to do is protect life and property during extreme weather.”