NPR Senior Climate Editor Offers Insights on Extreme Weather

Why it matters locally: Given Georgia's vulnerability to extreme weather events like hurricanes, heatwaves, and droughts, NPR's guidance on connecting these phenomena to climate change could influence how local news organizations and government agencies, such as the Fulton County Department of Emergency Services, frame their public communications during such events.

Rebecca Hersher, NPR's senior climate editor, provides internal guidance to the newsroom when extreme weather events occur. Hersher states this guidance helps staff understand the role of climate change in these situations. Hersher's role involves equipping journalists with information to contextualize weather phenomena for their audiences. A photograph shows a woman walking in downtown Houston, Texas, on July 30, 2026. She walks in the shade during a regional heat wave. Ronaldo Schemidt of AFP via Getty Images took the photograph.