'None of us are about hype:' How to recognize and avoid fake weather forecasts
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - It's a question a lot of people will ask Alexa, Siri, or Google each morning.
"What's the weather today?"
Love or hate social media, there's no denying it's changed the way we get information. With that comes a world where it's so easy to just post anything, often times we see incorrect information that can be deceiving and weather forecasts are no exception.
Pittsburghers get it, being weather-aware is important because we can often get all four seasons in a week, a day, or hours!
So making sure that you have accurate weather information is crucial.
Whether you watch the news or get your forecast online, having a well-researched and well-thought-out forecast is vital each day, especially when there are big weather events such as hurricanes, wildfires, or heat waves, you've probably seen social media posts that hype those events.
Hype is the operative word because that is just what they are - overhyped weather forecasts.
Or, to throw it back a little, they're clickbait!
"You see that possibility is out there, so you want to share it," said Fred McMullen of the National Weather Service.
In Pittsburgh, snowfall maps are the most easily susceptible to fakes since there are all sorts of varying opinions that go into making those.
"When you see snowfall maps, and when you're looking at different maps from different avenues, the mind kind of remembers the highest number," McMullen added.
That highest number isn't always true and most of the time, these maps have ranges. That's because forecasting amounts of snow can be extremely tricky when you have to take into consideration atmosphere instability, ground temperatures, and many other factors.
It's also not just snow.
"I've seen it so many times in hurricanes and floods," said Ken Graham. "There's multiple ways to get information."
Some things to look out for if you think a post looks suspicious: first, check to see if it was posted from a reliable source.
"If you had a post shared with you on social media from someone you don't know, maybe seek secondary confirmation or go back to your local meteorologist, go back to your trusted weather source," McMullen explained.
That's important to remember because there are what we refer to as "social media-ologists" who have little-to-no weather expertise and can create some realistic-looking forecasts.
"Listen to the people that are really getting the science out there," Graham said. "The real information. None of us are about hype, we're about saving lives."
An easy way to tell if a page is verified is the blue checkmark next to the name.
However, not all companies or personalities are verified just yet so you can also check the about section or website listed to ensure it's legitimate.
"It really matters because you want that information to protect your life," Graham cautioned.
So next time you see a possible fake weather post, take those steps, and if it is fake? Just keep scrolling or go ahead and report it.
