When disaster strikes, the last thing anyone wants to think about is whether the information they’re seeing on their phone is true. But in the chaos of an extreme weather event, misinformation can spread faster than the storm itself. It often starts small: someone shares a rumor about government corruption, or an AI-generated photo of a shark swimming through a flooded street. Within hours, that falsehood has been shared hundreds and thousands of times, until it feels real to a huge number of people. The stress and urgency of a crisis make it hard to slow down and fact-check, especially when you feel like you need to learn everything quickly just to stay safe. That is exactly why the moments before an emergency matter so much. Knowing who you can trust, how to verify information, and how to have calm conversations with friends and family about false claims can make all the difference. You do not need to be a media expert or a journalist to avoid falling for misinformation. You just need a few simple habits and the willingness to pause before sharing. The goal isn’t to become an expert overnight; it’s to stay grounded, protect yourself and the people you love, and keep from adding to the noise when every second counts.
So where should you go for accurate information during an extreme weather event? Start with your local emergency agency. Every city, county, and state has an emergency management department responsible for coordinating disaster response and communicating with the public. Many of these agencies offer text-message alert systems you can sign up for in advance, so you receive regular updates directly on your phone. In smaller communities, that role often falls to the sheriff’s office, so it’s worth knowing who the official voice is in your area before you need it. For specific weather conditions, the National Weather Service is one of the most reliable sources available. It is part of NOAA and provides updates on everything from hurricanes to air quality. You can enter your ZIP code on weather.gov to customize your homepage and receive alerts for the conditions most relevant to you. There are also local and regional NWS offices with their own SMS alert systems, and some areas offer alerts in multiple languages. Weather apps like The Weather Channel, AccuWeather, Apple Weather, and Google can be helpful for tracking major storms, but they shouldn’t be your only source when a serious threat is unfolding. They are not designed to tell you whether to evacuate or move to higher ground. Local news is another essential tool. Television meteorologists rely on NWS data, and during a storm, local stations often livestream free online and maintain live blogs with real-time updates. Following your local newspaper, radio station, or TV station on social media can give you a steady stream of vetted information. If you’re unsure whether an account is official, check the agency’s website for links to its social media pages. With these trusted sources in place, you can avoid depending on random posts from strangers or half-trusted accounts when the situation is urgent.
Fact-checking during a crisis doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does require a little discipline. The first step is to keep your questions short and specific. When you open your phone, don’t let yourself fall into an endless scroll of alarming updates. Instead, decide what you actually need to know. If it’s raining heavily, look up when the rain is expected to stop in your area or whether evacuation orders have been issued for your county. By focusing on details that directly affect you and your loved ones, you reduce the chances of being swept up in rumors that don’t matter to your safety. The second step is to double-check the source of anything you see. Much of what appears on social media comes from screenshots, shares, and reposts that make the original source hard to find. Before you act on something or share it, look carefully at the post. Is there a source tagged? If so, does it look like a legitimate news outlet, government agency, or recognized organization? If you don’t recognize it, do a quick Google search to learn more. Look at the website and social media accounts to see whether they publish factual reporting or just opinions and conspiracy theories. You can also send it to a friend or family member and ask if what you’re seeing matches what they’re seeing from official channels. If no source is attached, look for identifying details such as a logo or watermark that you can search for. If you can’t confirm anything, the safest move is not to share it at all. Government agencies and trusted newsrooms can make mistakes too, but they will issue corrections and updates as new information arrives, which is why sticking with official sources whenever possible is your best bet. It also helps to bookmark a few fact-checking sites that specialize in verifying viral claims, especially during disasters. And over time, you’ll learn the common myths that recur in nearly every major event. During Hurricane Helene in 2024, for example, false claims circulated that FEMA was stealing supplies, and similar rumors often suggest that agencies will take people’s land or homes after a disaster. Knowing these myths before they show up on your feed makes them easier to spot and dismiss.
Artificial intelligence has made misinformation even harder to detect, but there are still clues you can look for. Since ChatGPT was released in late 2022, a significant share of web content has been generated or edited with AI tools, according to the Pew Research Center. This means you are likely scrolling past AI-generated text, images, and videos every day, sometimes without realizing it. The good news is that AI still has tells. Written content produced by AI often lacks a consistent voice, so watch for abrupt shifts in tone, repetitive phrasing, or awkward formatting. For images, one of the easiest things to do is zoom in on people’s faces. AI-generated or heavily edited photos often have a smooth, airbrushed quality: no visible pores, no stray hairs, no imperfections. The background matters too. Does the skyline in a city scene make sense geographically? Are buildings in the right place, or does something look subtly off? Videos can be even more convincing, but they sometimes have an overly polished look or contain elements that don’t behave according to the laws of physics. Water might move in unnatural ways, shadows might point the wrong direction, or people’s movements might look slightly robotic. None of these signs are foolproof, and even trained eyes can be deceived by sophisticated AI. That’s why the best approach isn’t just to rely on your own judgment. When you’re uncertain, pause, zoom in, search for the source, and ask someone else what they see. In a crisis, one of the best things you can do is slow down the impulse to repost immediately. A moment of doubt is your brain telling you to look closer, not to share faster.
When you do spot misinformation being shared by a friend or family member, the way you respond matters. It’s natural to feel frustrated, especially if the false claim is about something as serious as a disaster or emergency response. But research suggests that people are most likely to listen to those they already trust, which means you have the potential to make a real difference. That also means the approach you take can determine whether the conversation helps or backfires. Before you say anything, decide whether it’s worth engaging. Arguing in the comments of a public post rarely changes anyone’s mind and can damage relationships. If the person is someone you care about and the conversation might have a real impact, consider doing it privately. Approach the conversation with the assumption that they have good intentions. Most people who share misinformation genuinely believe it is true and are trying to be helpful. They may be scared, angry, or anxious, especially during a disaster. If you come in with an accusatory tone, they will feel attacked and shut down. Instead, try to understand where they’re coming from. Ask meaningful questions about why they shared the post and what part of it worried them. Listen to their response without interrupting. Once they feel heard, you can share your own sources and explain how you fact-check information. You might offer to trade sources, acknowledge how difficult it is to know what to trust online, and find common ground, such as agreeing that it’s exhausting to sort through so much conflicting information. The goal isn’t to win an argument. It’s to help them think critically and feel respected at the same time.
But there will be times when a conversation doesn’t go anywhere. Some people are not ready to question the information they believe, no matter how patient and kind you are. If you’ve tried having a handful of conversations and they still aren’t open to listening, the best thing you can do is take a step back. Forcing the issue will only escalate tension and make it harder for them to trust you in the future. That doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It means the person is not ready to process what you’ve shared, and that could change later. When you step back, leave the door open. In the meantime, you can focus on “pre-bunking” with the people who are receptive. This means talking about misinformation before the next extreme weather event happens. Share reliable sources with your family and friends, mention that certain rumors tend to spread during disasters, and explain how to fact-check claims quickly. These conversations don’t have to be lectures. They can be casual and practical, like deciding which accounts to follow for weather alerts or agreeing to check in with each other before sharing something alarming. By having these conversations in advance, you build a circle of trust that will support everyone when the next storm hits. Misinformation is not just a problem for other people. It affects all of us, and it thrives on panic and urgency. But with a little preparation, a curious mindset, and a commitment to compassion in our conversations, we can keep ourselves grounded, protect our communities, and make it harder for falsehoods to take root when we need the truth the most.