A former climate journalist shared that she intentionally steered clear of reporting positive weather news, believing that it would complicate the narrative around climate change as an urgent threat. Lucy Biggers mentioned on X that, “When I was a climate reporter, I never covered positive climate stories because it would ‘muddy the narrative’ that climate change was an existential threat.” She noted that this choice was not imposed on her; it was something she decided herself.
Now with The Free Press, Biggers pointed to the remarkably calm 2026 Atlantic hurricane season as a story that might be overlooked by climate reporters. “I think this is why we rarely see events like this year’s historically quiet eastern hurricane season covered widely by the news,” she remarked, suggesting that many in the field worry that such coverage could be used by climate change skeptics.
According to reports, only five tropical storms have formed so far, and none have escalated to hurricane status. In fact, this season set a record for the latest onset of hurricanes since the satellite era commenced in 1966, as reported by various news outlets.
Biggers described her actions as a sort of self-censorship, acknowledging she was aware of the prevailing beliefs within the climate movement and chose not to challenge them for the sake of her standing. She said, “I ignored anything that challenged the mainstream understanding of climate change… I wanted to fit in with the group.”
Previously, Biggers identified as a climate activist. While working at NowThis News, she absorbed the climate movement’s viewpoints without much questioning. She expressed that such behavior is still evident today, noting the current quiet hurricane season and suggesting that news coverage would be completely different if we were experiencing an active period of storms.
Meteorologists attribute this calm season to a significant El Niño effect, which alters wind patterns that hinder hurricane development. However, the Atlantic hurricane season is not yet over, officially concluding on November 30.
Reflecting on her past, Biggers stated that she spent a considerable amount of her twenties uncritically accepting the narrative being presented to her, without thoroughly investigating the facts behind climate science.
Despite her claims of limited coverage on the quiet hurricane season, several major news organizations have acknowledged the lack of hurricanes, including The Associated Press, CBS News, and The Washington Post.
Biggers criticized climate reporters for often emphasizing alarming studies about the future without considering the current empirical data. She concluded with a thought on media coverage: “When frightening weather occurs, the news harps on it endlessly. The positive stories are rarely covered at all.”
