Lie of the Storm

9 Articles

Where big storms go, misinformation tends to follow.

Bond Huberman

Published 30 August 2019

Image via NOAA/NASA Goddard MODIS Rapid Response Team

If it’s that time of year for hurricane preparations, it’s probably also time to do our part to slow the misinformation that inevitably floods screens during natural disasters. Check with local officials for instructions and updates; and maybe leave the memes to drift back out to sea.

Should You Open Windows During a Hurricane? Storm lore holds that opening a window slightly during a hurricane will equalize the inner...

Do Hurricanes With Female Names Cause More Deaths Because People Don’t Take Them Seriously? A 2014 study makes this argument, but its findings are complex and contested.

Are Hotels Required to Accept Pets During Natural Disasters? Neither FEMA nor the 2006 PETS law requires hotels and motels to accommodate pets during...

Is This Anderson Cooper Standing in a Ditch While Reporting Hurricane Florence? It's not uncommon for reporters to call upon dramatic skills in the course of conveying...

During a Hurricane, Should You Store Important Items in Your Dishwasher? Appliance experts and flooding victims advise against storing valuables in a dishwasher during a hurricane.

Is There a Link Between Major Hurricanes and 29 August? A viral meme falsely states that four hurricanes hit the United States on 29 August...

Did Floodwaters in Southeast Texas Test Positive for Several Diseases After Harvey? There is no evidence to support a viral Facebook warning about certain cities, but the...

Weather Reporter Hit by a Stop Sign During Storm? A clip from a television sitcom showing a stop sign crashing into a weather reporter...

Did an Exorcism Save a House from Destruction During a Hurricane? A viral meme fabricated supernatural involvement in an already remarkable hurricane survival story.