PBS Presents WEATHERED: EARTH'S EXTREMES

A New Six-Part Series Exploring Extreme Weather in North America's Most Vulnerable Communities

Hosted by Science Communicator Maiya May, the Digital First, Long-Form Series Premieres, Wednesday, October 2 on the PBS App and YouTube

ARLINGTON, VA; Sept. 11, 2024 - PBS announces WEATHERED: EARTH'S EXTREMES, a new six-part docu-series debuting Wednesday, Oct. 2 on the PBS app, YouTube, and PBS stations (check local listings). In each 30-minute episode, audiences follow host and science communicator, Maiya May as she delves into the impacts of climate change and meets with the people inside communities on the frontline of extreme weather events. Throughout the series, Maiya May will also introduce audiences to scientists and community leaders working to build a more resilient future and developing solutions to mitigate its effects.

"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," said Maiya May, host and science communicator. "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."

WEATHERED: EARTH'S EXTREMES is an evolution of the popular PBS Digital Studios YouTube series of the same name, which has amassed more than 30 million views onPBS Terra since 2020. This long-form spinoff immerses audiences into some of the most powerful and transformative weather on earth. This 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," said Adam Dylewski, Senior Director of Multiplatform Programming at PBS. "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."

WEATHERED: EARTH'S EXTREMES episodes will cover the following topics:

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 Shepard 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.

WEATHERED: EARTH'S EXTREMES will be available to stream starting Wednesday, Oct. 2 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).

WEATHERED: EARTH'S EXTREMES is produced for PBS Digital Studios by Balance Media. Series producer and director is Trip Jennings. Executives in charge for PBS are Adam Dylewski, Diana El-Osta, and Maribel Lopez.

WEATHERED: EARTH'S EXTREMES is part of a multiyear, multiplatform initiative from PBS that explores every aspect of how climate change impacts communities, countries, and the entire planet. The comprehensive focus represents PBS's biggest-ever commitment to the topic, providing a deeper understanding of the issues surrounding climate change and exploring its intersections with conservation, biodiversity, and the ecosystem. PBS will create a rich destination of storytelling that details the challenges of a changing climate while highlighting examples of hope and positive impact. Learn more about PBS's commitment to Climate, Nature & Our Planet.

ABOUT HOST MAIYA MAY

Maiya May is a storyteller determined to build a legacy rooted in her love for nature. Inspired by David Attenborough, she creates thought-provoking, nature-related content that strengthens our knowledge, appreciation, and connection to the natural world. She's also passionate about encouraging more people of color to connect and explore the natural world. As a skilled producer and presenter of live on-air visual weather segments, Maiya May previously developed weather content for WSB-TV(ABC) in Atlanta, the University of Missouri, and four small-scale documentary projects exploring climate. She studied geography and atmospheric science at the University of Missouri-Columbia and previously interned for KOMU-TV(Columbia, Mo.), Fox 5 Atlanta (WAGA-TV), and The Weather Channel. Maiya May grew up in Lithonia, Ga. where she graduated from Arabia Mountain High School Academy of Engineering, Medicine, and Environmental Studies.

ABOUT PBS DIGITAL STUDIOS

PBS Digital Studios produces original programming for YouTube and other digital platforms, designed to engage, enlighten, and entertain online audiences. The PBS Digital Studios network has more than 30 million subscribers on YouTube, generating an average of 50 million views a month and has acquired more than five billion lifetime views. Currently, PBS Digital Studios has over a dozen active series, including the Webby Award-winning BE SMART and CRASH COURSE, as well as popular series like TWO CENTS, EONS and PBS SPACE TIME.

ABOUT BALANCE MEDIA

Balance Media is an award-winning, full-spectrum video production company in the heart of the Pacific Northwest. For more information on Balance Media, visit https://www.balancemedia.tv/.

ABOUT PBS

PBS, with more than 330 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Each month, PBS reaches over 36 million adults on linear primetime television, more than 16 million users on PBS-owned streaming platforms, 53 million viewers on YouTube, and 60 million people view PBS content on social media, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature, and public affairs and to take front-row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS's broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry's most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS LearningMedia for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. As the number one educational media brand, PBS KIDS helps children 2-8 build critical skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Delivered through member stations, PBS KIDS offers high-quality content on TV - including a PBS KIDS channel - and streaming free on pbskids.org and the PBS KIDSVideo app, games on the PBS KIDS Games app, and in communities across America. More information about PBS is available at PBS.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the internet, Facebook, Instagram, or through our apps for mobile and connected devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Communications on X.

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