Recent developments have made the role of weatherfluencers even more critical. In February 2025, the Trump administration, through its Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), initiated massive cuts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and National Weather Service (NWS) - firing approximately 800-880 employees including meteorologists, hydrologists, technicians, and scientists who build and maintain weather models.^[1]

These cuts have affected crucial services including:

• Weather forecast offices across multiple states
• The National Hurricane Center and Storm Prediction Center
• Tsunami warning centers in Alaska and Hawaii
• Teams responsible for maintaining radar systems and weather observation equipment

Even before these layoffs, the National Weather Service was already understaffed, with limited resources for repair parts and equipment maintenance.^[2] Now, with substantial cuts to NOAA's Environmental Modeling Center, the foundation of weather prediction in America faces significant challenges.

Scientists have expressed serious concerns about these developments. Climate scientist Daniel Swain warned that "there will be people who die in extreme weather events and related disasters who would not have otherwise"^[4] as a result of these cuts.

The Information Void and Weatherfluencers' Growing Importance

As government weather services face unprecedented cutbacks, weatherfluencers are positioned to fill a critical information gap. Private livestreamers who interpret radar data and weather patterns in real-time may become increasingly essential sources of time-sensitive weather information for many Americans.

However, this transition raises important questions:

1. Quality and reliability: How can viewers distinguish between credible weatherfluencers with meteorological expertise and those simply capitalizing on extreme weather events?
2. Access and equity: If critical weather information shifts from a public service to a platform-dependent resource, how will this affect vulnerable populations with limited internet access?
3. Funding models: How will weatherfluencers balance public safety responsibilities with platform monetization incentives?

The current situation represents exactly the type of institutional reconfiguration discussed in our paper. As Project 2025 and the current administration pursue further privatization of weather services, understanding the role of alternative information providers becomes not just academically interesting, but potentially life-saving.

In recent years, a new breed of digital content creators has emerged on platforms like YouTube and TikTok: "weatherfluencers." These dedicated livestreamers provide real-time interpretation of severe weather events, translating complex meteorological data into accessible information for their growing audiences.

What Are Weatherfluencers?

Weatherfluencers are content creators who livestream severe weather events, offering play-by-play interpretations of radar imagery, National Weather Service alerts, and footage from storm chasers on the ground. Unlike traditional TV meteorologists constrained by broadcast schedules and local focus, these digital creators often stream for 6-8 hours, covering entire storm systems as they move across multiple states.

During a recent tornado outbreak, one creator attracted nearly 9,000 simultaneous viewers while also collecting money for relief efforts. These streams create vibrant communities where viewers gather to understand if they're in a storm's path, learn about meteorology, or simply experience the awe of watching severe weather unfold in real-time.

More Than Just Influencers

While weatherfluencers share characteristics with other digital influencers—building personal brands, cultivating audiences, and developing monetization strategies—they differ in significant ways:

• Public safety role: Unlike lifestyle influencers primarily focused on entertainment, weatherfluencers provide critical safety information that can directly impact viewers' wellbeing.
• Real-time knowledge production: They actively interpret raw meteorological data, generating original insights through analysis rather than simply repackaging existing content.
• Predictive dimension: Weatherfluencers operate across multiple temporal planes simultaneously—analyzing past patterns, interpreting present conditions, and predicting future developments.
• Community collaboration: Their livestream communities develop sophisticated collective sensemaking practices, with viewers taking on specialized roles from local ground observers to information validators.

Trust and Credibility Challenges

Weatherfluencers face unique challenges in establishing credibility. Without institutional backing, they must earn trust through consistent accuracy, transparent presentation of data sources, and appropriate handling of emergency warnings. This creates tension between presenting engaging content and delivering reliable safety information.

Platform Design Limitations

Current livestreaming platforms weren't designed for crisis communication, creating significant constraints for weatherfluencers:

• Creators must manage multiple critical information streams simultaneously while maintaining engaging commentary
• Viewers struggle to distinguish between new, ongoing, and expired alerts in busy interfaces
• High-latency streaming creates potentially dangerous information delays when seconds matter for safety

A Timely Concern: Weather Privatization

The emergence of weatherfluencers takes on added significance in light of proposals to reduce National Weather Service funding and privatize weather operations. As weather information potentially shifts from a public service to a private commodity, these digital creators may evolve from peripheral players to crucial information providers.

Research Directions

This growing phenomenon raises important questions for researchers, platform designers, and policymakers:

• How do weatherfluencers build and maintain credibility without traditional institutional backing?
• What community dynamics enable effective collective sensemaking during crisis events?
• How can platforms better support crisis communication through specialized tools and interfaces?
• What are the implications for information access and equity as weather services face potential privatization?

As extreme weather events become more frequent and severe, understanding the role of these digital intermediaries becomes increasingly crucial for public safety and information access.