Watch John Morales’ Emotional Reaction to Hurricane Milton
As Hurricane Milton races towards the Florida Peninsula, national news outlets are switching from political to hurricane coverage mode, and local TV meteorologists are monitoring the potential devastation this extreme weather event could bring.
One such meteorologist is John Morales from WTVJ, NBC’s local affiliate in Miami. On Monday, Morales visibly teared up while providing an on-air update on Milton’s approach. That clip has since gone viral on social media due to his emotional assessment of the incoming Category 5 storm.
“I apologize—this is just horrific,” Morales said as he described Milton’s speed and fury.
Watch Morales’ emotional report below:
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In his own social media post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Morales explained his emotional reaction, and pointed readers to his post on the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists that broke down how Milton is a harbinger of the future in the age of global warming. “Frankly, YOU should be shaken too and demand #ClimateActionNow,” he added.
I debated whether to share this. I did apologize on the air. But I invite you to read my introspection on @BulletinAtomic of how extreme weather 📈 driven by global warming has changed me. Frankly, YOU should be shaken too, and demand #ClimateActionNow. https://t.co/09vxgabSmX https://t.co/GzQbDglsBG
— John Morales (@JohnMoralesTV) October 7, 2024
Morales’ message was received loud and clear by other news outlets. On Tuesday, he was interviewed by The New York Times and noted how his on-air report made an impact on the audience he most hoped to reach—Florida residents in the path of the hurricane.
This is what it’s all about: “Many, many people have reached out to me to say that if they hadn’t watched that, they would have not properly prepared. They’ve thanked me for ‘saving their lives.’ … it’s been extremely heartening.” https://t.co/bAx08yEnR1 🎁🔗
— John Morales (@JohnMoralesTV) October 9, 2024
Morales also appeared on CNN’s Erin Burnett Outfront to speak about his emotional reaction. “It was just a mixture of empathy for those people [in Florida], as well as the angst of increasingly frequent and more severe extreme weather events,” he told Burnett. “And the frustration of being a climate change communicator for over 20 years and realizing this is happening—and we knew it was coming.”
“It has changed me.”
Longtime Florida meteorologist John Morales tells @ErinBurnett why he became emotional reporting on Hurricane Milton pic.twitter.com/Qc2dtG3cvz
— Erin Burnett OutFront (@OutFrontCNN) October 9, 2024
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