When public weather awareness and data don't match, focus on the 'lukewarmers'

Glenn "Hurricane" Schwartz is raising awareness of the climate crisis. His focus is on those who can still be convinced it’s a problem.

Glenn "Hurricance" Schwartz on his focus of climate change education.

Iconic Philadelphia meteorologist Glenn "Hurricane" Schwartz has a message for so-called "lukewarmers:" it's time to focus on the climate crisis.

During my No Distractions conversation with Hurricane, we spoke about everything from how he got the nickname to his bowties to his rise as a TikTok star. But one area he really wanted to focus on is his mission to educate average people about the importance of understanding climate change and proper concern about our warming world.

"The level of public understanding and acceptance of the science is down here," Glenn said while holding one hand at the bottom of the screen. "Where the level of knowledge of the science with the top scientists is up here," he added with his other hand held above his head. "I'm just trying to get the community a little closer."

That is Glenn's focus: reaching people who are open to the reality of climate change and global temperature shifts.

"There are people who are going to deny this existence and call it a hoax," Glenn said. "Those people... you can't change. But there's a lot of people who they call 'lukewarmers.'"

A "luke" what?

They're people who accept that the climate is warming and that it is not good, but they don't feel the effect in their daily lives, Glenn explained.

"I'm trying to help push the 'lukewarmers' beyond concerned," Glenn said. "Really almost into the alarmed category."

Hold on. People don't normally like to be called alarmists.

"There's a difference between being alarmed and being an alarmist," Hurricane said. "An alarmist is doing this and saying this without reason. In this case, there is."

Hurricane's latest weather venture

Besides his bowtied work on social media, Glenn has joined Eastern Pennsylvania/Delaware/JerseyShore-focused Norcast with his "Hurricane on Climate Change" page, where he seeks to take users "inside climate change and how it affects each of us."

I highly suggest you take a look at the work Glenn is doing. He is as passionate as ever about the weather and is hoping that he can change people's opinions on climate change through his online presence. Maybe reading this post has helped him get a little bit closer to his goal.