A Media Matters review of national TV news coverage of Hurricane Beryl from July 1-8 found:

• Corporate broadcast and cable news networks aired a combined 701 minutes across 343 segments about Hurricane Beryl, with only 15 segments (4%) mentioning climate change.

• Cable news networks — CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC — aired a combined 520 minutes across 234 segments about Hurricane Beryl, with 9 mentioning climate change.

• Corporate broadcast TV networks — ABC, CBS, and NBC — aired a combined 181 minutes across 109 segments about Hurricane Beryl, with 6 mentioning climate change.

• 32 segments mentioned rapid intensification, a climate signal.

Hurricane Beryl's record-breaking development and devastating impact commanded extensive media attention. Rapidly intensifying from a tropical depression on June 28 to a Category 5 hurricane by July 2, Beryl became the earliest Category 5 storm in Atlantic basin history. The hurricane wreaked havoc across the Caribbean, claiming 11 lives before making landfall in Texas on July 8. There, it caused widespread flooding, left millions without power during a heat wave, and resulted in at least 7 more fatalities.

As is typical for major weather events, national TV news provided robust coverage of Hurricane Beryl, reporting in detail about the storm's path, intensity, and immediate impacts. They consistently highlighted Beryl's record-breaking nature, noting its status as the earliest Category 5 hurricane in Atlantic history. Coverage included timely updates on evacuation orders, emergency responses, and the logistics of disaster management. Reporters and meteorologists emphasized the storm's unprecedented rapid intensification and its potential for catastrophic damage. This comprehensive coverage of the hurricane's progression, its record-setting characteristics, and its immediate effects served as a vital public service.

However, while the coverage excelled in reporting the “what” of Hurricane Beryl, it again largely missed the “why.” 

The climate connection to Beryl's intensity is clear, though it remained largely absent from media coverage. A ClimaMeter analysis revealed how “events similar to the low pressure system leading to Hurricane Beryl” have changed compared to similar past events in the region: temperatures have risen by up to 1°C, precipitation has increased by as much as 30%, and wind speeds have intensified by as much as 10%. Crucially, the analysis noted that Beryl was “fueled by exceptionally warm ocean temperatures.” These record-breaking water temperatures are directly attributable to climate change, providing the energy for Beryl's rapid intensification. According to ClimaMeter:

This statement directly links the intensification of hurricanes like Beryl, fueled by warming oceans, to human-caused climate change.

Despite the clear climate signals driving the storm's record-breaking nature, the majority of news segments failed to connect Hurricane Beryl to climate change. Out of 343 total segments reviewed during the studied period, only 15 (4%) mentioned climate change.

On cable:

• CNN aired 272 minutes of coverage about Hurricane Beryl across 111 segments, with 7 segments mentioning climate change.

• MSNBC aired 107 minutes of coverage across 46 segments, with 2 segments mentioning climate change.

• Fox News aired 141 minutes across 77 segments. No segments mentioned climate change.

On the corporate broadcast networks:

• ABC aired 63 minutes across 39 segments, with 3 segments mentioning climate change.

• CBS aired 59 minutes across 37 segments, with 2 segments mentioning climate change.

• NBC aired 59 minutes across 33 segments, with 1 segment that mentioned climate change.

The disconnect between Beryl's climate links and national TV news’ coverage of the storm is particularly concerning given the increasing intensity of extreme weather events, including hurricanes. By failing to consistently make these connections, national TV news outlets are leaving their audiences uninformed about the full scope of the climate crisis and its immediate impacts on their lives.

Despite the overall lack of climate coverage, there were a few standout segments that not only effectively connected Hurricane Beryl to climate change but also incorporated key elements necessary for comprehensive extreme weather coverage.

During the July 3 episode of CNN News Central, climate correspondent Bill Weir effectively connected Hurricane Beryl to other seemingly discrete extreme weather events, linking them all to climate change. He quantified atmospheric heat-trapping pollution, explained how it fuels various weather extremes, and emphasized their unprecedented nature. Weir also explicitly tied these climate-driven extreme weather events to greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels, illustrating the interconnectedness of global warming’s impacts and their root cause.

The July 6 episode of MSNBC’s The Katie Phang Show featured climate scientist Michael Mann, who connected Hurricane Beryl's rapid intensification to human-caused warming from fossil fuels. Mann also linked Beryl to concurrent wildfires, floods, and heat waves, emphasizing their compound effects on infrastructure, emergency resources, and public health. His analysis demonstrated how these climate-driven extreme weather events drive a complex web of cascading consequences with far-reaching societal impacts.

The coverage of Hurricane Beryl highlights a critical shortcoming in national TV news. National TV news shows have consistently missed opportunities to connect this year’s extreme weather events to the larger climate crisis.

Even a concise statement, inspired by language suggested by Covering Climate Now, could offer broadcasters a quick and effective way to make the climate connection: “Human-caused climate change is intensifying hurricanes by warming ocean waters, increasing atmospheric moisture, and raising sea levels. These factors contribute to more rapid storm intensification, heavier rainfall, and more destructive storm surges.”

Organizations like Covering Climate Now are equipping journalists with tools to enhance their approach to disaster coverage. Their efforts aim to enable news outlets to consistently contextualize extreme weather events within the framework of climate change.

As we confront an increasingly unstable climate future, the role of informed, responsible journalism has never been more critical. It's time for our media coverage to match the urgency of the crisis at hand. Adopting clear, scientifically-grounded language to connect extreme weather to climate change is just the start. To truly improve coverage, national TV news shows must go further: they should provide broader context for these events, linking them to long-term climate trends; connect extreme weather to upcoming elections, highlighting the stakes of our political choices; discuss climate justice, acknowledging the unequal impacts on vulnerable communities; and demand accountability from the fossil fuel industry for its role in driving the climate crisis. 

By embracing these practices, news outlets can offer their audiences a more comprehensive understanding of our rapidly changing world and the actions needed to stave off the worst consequences of climate change.

Media Matters searched transcripts in the SnapStream video database for ABC’s Good Morning America and World News Tonight; CBS’ Mornings and Evening News; and NBC’s Today and Nightly News as well as all original programming on CNN, Fox News Channel, and MSNBC for the term “Beryl” within close proximity of any of the terms “storm,” “hurricane,” “Carriacou,” “Mexico,” “Grenada,” “Martinique,” “Belize” “Tobago,” “St. Vincent,” “Windward,” “Grenadine,” or “category 4” from July 1, 2024, when Hurricane Beryl first made landfall, through July 8, 2024.

We included segments, which we defined as instances when Hurricane Beryl was the stated topic of discussion or when we found significant discussion of the storm. We defined significant discussion as instances when two or more speakers in a multitopic segment discussed the hurricane with one another.

We did not include passing mentions, which we defined as instances when a single speaker in a segment on another topic mentioned the storm without another speaker engaging with the comment, or teasers, which we defined as instances when the host or anchor promoted a segment about the hurricane scheduled to air later in the broadcast.

We then reviewed the identified segments for any mention of climate change, global warming, or rapid intensification.