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June’s weather may have felt erratic at times – but for some social media users, there was nothing random about it. They wrongly blamed it on “weather manipulation” and “geoengineering”. Others accused weather presenters of “hiding the truth” from the public.
Much of June experienced temperatures about 2C (35.6F) lower than average, due to colder air coming from the Arctic.
That was reversed in the last week of the month as warmer air moved in, bringing the UK temperature closer to normal, but still 0.4C colder than average.
Combined with one of the wettest winters in recent years, this has left many wondering what is going on with the British weather.
But not all possible explanations circulating on social media are grounded in scientific evidence.
To some users, the recent cooler weather suggests climate change may not be real. But short-term weather events are not representative of long-term climate trends in the UK.
And recent decades have also proved warmer, wetter, and sunnier than those in the 20th Century, as the climate continues to change.
But among those who deny the existence of climate change, an alternative theory has been gaining momentum. It alleges that the government is supposedly controlling both weather and climate for sinister purposes.
Variations of this narrative have been circulating online for years, but in the aftermath of unusual weather events it tends to resurface on all major social media platforms.
By using social media analytics tools, BBC Verify found that conversation around these topics has been gaining momentum this year.
Since January, mentions of #GeoEngineering
The post No, UK weather is not being manipulated first appeared on EnviroLink Network.