Rantz: Why are some pretending the atmospheric bomb windstorm in Washington wasn’t a big deal?

Washington just faced a hectic “atmospheric bomb cycle” windstorm, packing gusts of more than 70 miles per hour and leaving nearly 650,000 residents without power. The damage was staggering, yet some are dismissing it as just another windstorm. This downplay is thanks to a mix of media spin and outright lunacy.

Ironically, it wasn’t climate alarmists raising the alarm this time. Instead, it was Cliff Mass, an eminently reasonable University of Washington (UW) Atmospheric Sciences professor often criticized for not hyping climate doomsday scenarios. Mass accurately forecasted the storm’s ferocity, warning it would cause widespread power outages — and he was spot on.

With gusts rivaling a Category 4 hurricane, the windstorm uprooted trees in Seattle and Bellevue, snarled traffic with debris-strewn roads and forced pilots to execute nail-biting landings at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SeaTac). Out-of-state utility crews are now scrambling to restore power to thousands of homes and businesses, with outages likely to last for days.

We saw trees uprooted in Seattle and Bellevue and planes struggling to land at SeaTac. Roads from Enumclaw to Mercer Island were rendered impassable because of debris. People are expected to be without power for days, with out-of-state crews coming to help tackle the downed powerline debacle.

But while scores were picking up shattered tree branches and dealing with widespread blackouts, some voices on X dismissed the storm as no big deal. Really? For anyone in Enumclaw or Mercer Island, where roads were impassable, or the tens of thousands waiting for the lights to come back on, this was far from “average.”

More from Jason Rantz: Media loves saying ‘atmospheric river’ to impress us, but it basically just means ‘storm’

What are some people saying to downplay the atmospheric bomb windstorm that hit Washington?

Some claimed there’s no such thing as an “atmospheric bomb cyclone.” Others claimed that the media was fearmongering around the Washington atmospheric bomb windstorm.

“There’s no such thing as a ‘bomb cyclone’. It’s called a storm,” one user posted. “Well, they have to sensationalize everything to scare the s*** out of people and it’s also a good source of clickbait…,” another said. Similarly, another person jested, “I’m honestly surprised the NW media hasn’t used -magedon for this wind storm.”

I could go on, but I’ll spare you.

I found myself growing increasingly annoyed by these posts. They’re factually inaccurate, devoid of compassion and downright delusional. They deserve to be corrected. Yet, at the same time, I found myself somewhat understanding their position.

This is what the effects of an atmospheric bomb cyclone — off the coast of Washington — look like in Bellevue.
pic.twitter.com/GmfMwfHvgy

— Jason Rantz on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) November 20, 2024

Here’s why some distrust media on weather stories — and so much more

Local media, whether in Seattle, Portland, New York or Miami, makes a habit out of going completely overboard with weather stories.

If it’s a slightly hotter-than-average day, you can count on The Seattle Times publishing a breathless article blaming climate change for the thermometer reading 90.5 degrees instead of the average 89. Meanwhile, KING 5 dutifully sends their least favorite reporter to an Ace Hardware in Olympia to interview the assistant manager — never the actual manager, of course, because he’s too important to waste time with local news, apparently. The assistant manager will inevitably comment on the sudden run on air conditioners and fans, as if that’s hard to believe. Cue the obligatory “man-on-the-street” interview, where a random passerby offers groundbreaking insights like, “How do I feel? Hot. It’s hot,” before staring blankly at the reporter, unsure if they were expected to deliver more.

The mere threat of snow unleashes Total Team Coverage™ from KOMO and Fox 13. Reporters fan out across the region in station-branded Columbia jackets, stationed everywhere from Ocean Shores to Lynnwood, Auburn to Monroe, and Tacoma to Bellingham. They stand ready to break the earth-shattering news of the first snowflake hitting the pavement. And when it does? Brace yourself for SnowpocalypseMaggedon coverage, with dramatic montages of slipping cars and endless footage of people buying milk, bread and shovels as if preparing for a week-long hibernation.

It’s a predictable spectacle, equal parts amusing and exhausting.

Let’s dial back coverage on your average weather story

Local media is notoriously guilty of over-hyping weather stories. And nothing excites them more than a scary-sounding weather term like “atmospheric bomb” or “bomb cyclone.” But their almost satirical level of coverage has real consequences: When a genuinely significant weather event comes along, people who are already suspicious of the media tend to dismiss it as just more over-the-top fearmongering.

Some folks are undoubtedly just plain nutty — calling a Category 4 hurricane a mere “windstorm” is peak willful ignorance. Those voices should be ignored. But for everyday news consumers, it’s not hard to see why trust in weather reporting, or any kind of reporting, is waning. When facts are exaggerated or framed to fit a narrative, skepticism grows. Downplaying severe weather might be a way for some to push back against climate hysteria, but it’s an equally dishonest tactic that helps no one. This storm’s impact — uprooted trees, impassable roads, days-long power outages — was clear enough. No sensationalism was necessary.

It’s undeniable that audiences love weather stories. Ratings spike and clicks surge when storms lead the news. It’s universal; it gives us something non-controversial to discuss. I get why local media leans into it.

But maybe they should rethink the breathless coverage of minor weather events. When a historic windstorm caused by an atmospheric bomb cyclone barrels through, leaving hundreds of thousands without power, people might take it more seriously if they’re not already numb to the constant hyperbole. Sometimes, dialing it back makes a story hit harder when it truly matters — like during a Washington windstorm.

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3-7 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason Rantz on X, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook.

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