Weather is becoming more extreme faster, creating a new normal that is putting millions of Americans at risk. Weathered: Earth’s Extremes follows host Maiya May on a journey to see what our world will look like as we speed toward 2.6°C of warming.
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Episode 1: “Are We at The Tipping Point?”
Maiya May embarks on a journey across the United States, from the sunny shores of Florida to the icy expanses of Alaska, to explore climate tipping points – thresholds that lead to rapid and irreversible change. Discover how critical our climate systems like coral reefs and permafrost are for our planet’s stability. Are these vital ecosystems already past their tipping point, or is there still hope to reverse the damage? Learn about the science behind these changes and what can be done to protect our planet's future.
Episode 2: “Adapt or Leave?”
When is it time to leave your home? Maiya May visits Isle de Jean Charles, Louisiana, one of the first communities in the US to undergo a federally funded relocation due to climate change. She talks to resident Chris Brunet about his decision to move away from the island where his family has lived for generations. Before visiting the island, she learns about the Hurricane Hunters’ fearless research and explores climate adaptation on our changing planet.
Episode 3: “The Heat is On”
Maiya May explores the most deadly kind of weather, heat, in an unlikely place: Portland, Oregon. She revisits the 2021 heat dome, one of the most anomalous weather events ever recorded on Earth. To understand why some urban areas are hotter than others, she travels to Medellín, Colombia. Then she visits the hottest city in the US, Phoenix, Arizona, to see how we can turn the temperature down, even in the most extreme environments.
Episode 4: “Water Whiplash”
Maiya May explores the growing extremes of droughts and floods and their impact on our food and water. She visits Tulare Lake, once a critical water reserve and cultural site for the Tachi-Yokut tribe, which has re-emerged after 150 years. Maiya learns about agriculture's challenges, the depletion of groundwater, and finds hope in innovative farming practices that reduce emissions and conserve water.
Episode 5: “Not ‘Business As Usual”
Maiya explores positive climate tipping points. She travels from Wyoming to Michigan and back to her hometown of Atlanta. In Cheyenne, she visits a supercomputer to see how climate systems are predicted and analyzed. In Michigan, she witnesses the explosive end of a coal plant, marking significant progress in the global energy transition to renewables. Back in Atlanta, Maiya and Dr. Marshall Shepherd discuss climate challenges and vulnerabilities across the US.
Episode 6: “Climate Crossroads”
In our season finale, Maiya returns to Florida to explore the impacts of climate change on ocean currents, where scientist Lisa Beal has uncovered a slowing Gulf Stream, hinting at a critical tipping point. But not all tipping points are bad: she also travels to meet Stacey Abrams and learn about electrification efforts, takes her first flight lesson, and learns about nature’s role in achieving net-zero emissions.
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