A six-part documentary series that explores extreme weather in vulnerable communities is scheduled to debut Wednesday on PBS.
“Weathered: Earth’s Extremes” features 30-minute episodes that follow host and science communicator Maiya May as she looks into the impacts of climate change and meets with the people inside communities on the frontline of extreme weather.
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May previously developed weather content for an ABC affiliate in Atlanta, the University of Missouri, and four small-scale documentary projects exploring climate.
“In 2015, when I decided to pivot away from pursuing a career as an on-air meteorologist, I made it my mission to create thought-provoking content that strengthens knowledge, appreciation, and connection to our natural world,” May said in a release. “Climate change is complex and, for some, may feel like a problem for future generations, or geographic regions other than their own. Weathered: Earth’s Extremes breaks down these concepts and shows viewers how their lives might be affected, all while offering hope and real, tangible solutions. I’m so proud and blessed to be able to communicate the science behind this increasingly important matter, and I can’t wait for audiences to see it.”
May studied geography and atmospheric science at the University of Missouri-Columbia and interned for television stations in Missouri, Atlanta and at The Weather Channel. May grew up in Lithonia, Georgia, where she graduated from Arabia Mountain High School Academy of Engineering, Medicine and Environmental Studies.
An evolution of the PBS Digital Studios YouTube series with the same name, which has amassed more than 30 million views on PBS Terra since 2020, the series aims to help audiences understand the big-picture shifts in weather mechanisms brought on by climate change while empowering them to plan, prepare, and offset the impact of these events.
“The series’ central mission – using weather to draw viewers into deep conversations about climate science – has enabled us to connect with a broad audience across ideologies, ages, and backgrounds online,” Adam Dylewski, Senior Director of Multiplatform Programming at PBS, said. “This is also the first time a PBS Digital Studios show on YouTube has made the leap to a long-form series. With Weathered, it’s exciting to see how a new generation of PBS talent and creators are coming from YouTube and social media and bringing innovative storytelling approaches and a fresh new sensibility with them.”
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In the first episode, “Are We at The Tipping Point?,” May embarks on a journey from Florida to Alaska to explore climate tipping points.
Episode 2, “Adapt or Leave?,” has May visiting Louisiana, one of the first communities in the country to undergo a federally funded relocation due to climate change.
May explores in Episode 3, “The Heat is On,” the most deadly kind of weather, heat, in an unlikely place: Portland, Oregon.
In Episode 4, titled “Water Whiplash,” May explores the growing extremes of droughts and floods and their impact on food and water.
Episode 5, “Not ‘Business As Usual,” May travels to see how climate systems are predicted and analyzed and the global energy transition to renewables.
The sixth and final in the series, “Climate Crossroads,” shows when May returns to Florida to explore the impacts of climate change on ocean currents.
“Weathered: Earth’s Extremes” will be available to stream starting Wednesday on all station-branded PBS platforms, including PBS.org and the PBS app, available on iOS, Android, Roku streaming devices, Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung Smart TV, Chromecast and VIZIO. The series will also be available on PBS YouTube channels including PBS Terra and PBS stations. Check local listings.
