From RationalWiki

Kevin Martin, the cranky meteorologist and Johnny Depp impersonator.

Kevin Douglas Martin is a self-proclaimed "senior meteorologist" and founder of several weather websites such as TheWeatherSpace.com, SouthernCaliforniaWeatherAuthority.com, WeatherAlertCentral.com, and SouthernCaliforniaWeatherForce.com.[1] Despite having no qualifications in the field and an abysmal track record, he is known for using the internet to release frequent "weather alerts" warning of impending tornadoes, hurricanes and even earthquakes. He's also a classic example of an internet tough guy.

Martin has made a variety of bizarre and false claims about weather related phenomena. He has claimed that the atmospheric research project HAARP "or HAARP-like projects" are responsible for "abnormal" weather patterns and natural disasters such as Hurricane Sandy.[2][3] Martin's websites have featured weather radar images purporting to track and forecast HAARP activity and the spread of chemtrails. However, even the denizens of the conspiracy forum Above Top Secret became skeptical of Martin's various bombastic claims and activities.[4][5][6] Martin does not have any formal education or qualifications in meteorology but insists he was born with "gifts" that allow him to to forecast the weather".[7]

After Martin began issuing dubious "official" earthquake warnings, "official" hurricane watches, and "official" tornado warnings (despite U.S. Code 18 § 2074 specifically penalising false weather reports branded "official"),[8] the National Weather Service Headquarters issued a press release advising the public not to confuse official NWS or NOAA warnings with Martin's made-up stuff.[9][10]

Career [ edit ]

Lacking any formal qualifications in meteorology, Martin considers himself a "weather savant". He has stated that he is autistic and has obsessive compulsive disorder,[12] and believes that this must make him extremely talented at one thing. (In reality, autistic people can be talented in multiple areas, and they generally need to practice and study just like non-autistics do. It is not clear how OCD would be related to his claims.)

Ontario Weather Service [ edit ]

Sometime prior to 2006, Martin and his brother Brian launched what purported to be a weather forecasting website called the Ontario Weather Service.[note 1] Martin listed himself as the OWS founder and "Chief Meteorologist".[13] By 2007, Martin announced the OWS would "go into battle" against the National Weather Service. Martin claimed, "We will not listen to anyone that tell us not to, even if the government gets in the way. This will be the biggest story of the Meteorological History. We are AGAINST them and we are putting our foot down for the last time."[14]

The Ontario Weather Service featured a heavy focus on "chemtrails", and Martin promised tie-in merchandising:

“ ” We are opening a store that will sell Chemtrail shirts/cups etc. This website will be on all of them. The items will be unique because OWSweather.com is the only source in the world that can tell you when chemtrails will be put out. Spread the word. I am willing to put my reputation on the line to spread the word of chemtrails. The reports are gathered through second party air force information, and also the knowledge I've gathered being a meteorologist in patterns they spray in and around. I, Kevin Martin, am probably the ONLY meteorologist that believes the trails exist. —Kevin Martin, Ontario Weather Service, September 8, 2008[15]

"Cash gifting twins" [ edit ]

Between 2008 and 2009 Martin and his brother Brian advertised themselves as the "cash gifting twins".[16][17] They generously offered to let people participate in a sure-fire method to get rich quick by using an "incredible, revolutionary, 1-up-to-infinity cash-flow system."[18] To join the system, participants were required to send between $500 and $2,000, plus an initial membership fee, directly to the Martin brothers.[19][20]

Southern California Weather Authority [ edit ]

In January 2009, Martin launched a second weather website called the SoCalWeather.org that evolved into Southern California Weather Authority (SCWXA.org).[21][22] In the same year, Martin defended his SCWXA "Lead Forecaster", a teenager named Ricky Lukacs, who was charged with starting large wildfires in the Yucaipa area. Martin told authorities Lukacs was only at the scene of the fires to take photos.[23][24] However when Lukacs was tried in juvenile court on arson charges, the boy admitted to setting the original two large wildfires, plus eight other fires.[25]

By January 2010, Martin launched a third weather website, TheWeatherSpace.com, and was claiming to be its "senior meteorologist". As with OWS, SCXWA, and many before it, TheWeatherSpace.com was continually generating dubious drama and disparaging the National Weather Service.[26] Martin's concept of weather reporting apparently included UFO stories. In 2010, Martin admitted to hoaxing video and still images of a "UFO spiral" allegedly seen one night in Canada that were posted on TheWeatherSpace.com. Naming a "Kevin Adams" as owner of TheWeatherSpace.com, Martin blamed the hoax on some CGI "graphic test" files that were accidentally posted by a reporter named "Betty Morgan".[27] Martin then issued a conflicting story, saying he had deliberately engineered the hoax to find out "who is more gullible, Americans or Europeans".[28] Then Martin retracted that statement, alleging that he did see a UFO and was warned to keep quiet about it.[29] Undoubtedly there are some in the ufology community who feel that Martin must be telling the truth, because as everyone knows, a confusing series of lies followed by vague suggestions of intimidation are hallmarks of the trustworthy.

In February 2014, a Daily Kos weather blogger refuted Martin's warnings of a blockbuster winter storm, calling TheWeatherSpace.com an "infamous conspiracy theory website" and Martin "a fake "meteorologist" who thrives on creating hoax weather forecasts in order to drive page hits to his website for ad revenue".[30]

URL hopping [ edit ]

In Summer 2014, Martin began moving his web content to a succession of new urls in an apparent attempt to outrun Facebook complaints and subsequent shutdowns by Facebook management. Various new urls included WeatherAlertCentral.com, SouthernCaliforniaWeatherCentral.com, PublicWeatherService.com, SouthernCaliforniaWeatherService.com, AlternativeWeatherService.com, and others.

Hurricane hoax [ edit ]

In late August 2014 Martin, now operating under the name Weather Alert Central.com on Facebook produced a forecast claiming a potential Katrina scale hurricane was headed for the US Gulf Coast. The Facebook post received considerable attention and was debunked by several widely viewed outlets including The Weather Channel,[31] Times-Picayune [32], Huntsville Times [33] and Slate.[1] The National Weather Service Hurricane Center also made a post on Facebook advising the public to "be wary of long-range projections that go beyond what science can offer".[34] By the time the system Kevin was referring to made landfall in Louisiana and Texas it was classified as a "weak area of low pressure" which brought a handful of scattered rain showers to the area… about as far from a massive hurricane as you can get.[35]

Pseudoscience [ edit ]

“ ” Meteorologist Kevin Martin believes that chemtrails and HAARP exists.[36] While there is no evidence that it does or does not exist, he advocates and teaches that it does. Meteorologist Kevin Martin believes that chemtrails and HAARP exists.While there is no evidence that it does or does not exist, he advocates and teaches that it does. —Kevin on his belief in conspiracies[37]

HAARP status [ edit ]

HAARPocalypse Now!

Martin once appeared on the Oklahoma City-based Southwest Radio Ministries radio program as "a Christian who is passionate about weather", saying that HAARP was able to "target Oklahoma" and create devastating tornadoes there.[38] He frequently warns of HAARP's alleged dangers and claims he can predict the facility's transmissions.

Martin's websites have offered a "HAARP status" alert service to subscribers, apparently triggered when unspecified "sensor readings" indicate HAARP is supposedly beaming harmful, weather-altering energy into the skies above their geographic location.[39] Although, Martin has claimed that this alert service is not controlled by him and that they merely pay him for anonymous hosting, his website clearly stated that "HaarpStatus is owned by TheWeatherSpace.com"[40] and TheWeatherSpace.com lists Martin as its "CEO". In addition, Martin has stated "I'm in full support of the system" and would use it to make weather predictions.[41] The service claims that:

“ ” From the creators of ChemtrailForecast.com comes HaarpStatus.com, a project that is the future of predicting what HAARP does and warns the public of what is in store due to it. —Kevin's introducing his major pet project.[41]

"The future of predicting what HAARP does" appeared to consist of relabeling existing weather map graphics to show supposed "current frequency readings" and the "building" or "weakening" frequency of HAARP transmissions.[42] The site's laughably pseudoscientific explanation claimed that "sensors" at "unknown locations" can actually be used to triangulate something:

“ ” Volunteers have added 22 sensors at their residences, in unknown locations. These sensors measure the effects and changes of the ionosphere that HAARP tampers with and a magnitude system that goes with the sensor readings triangulates the center of the frequency above the country. —Very "scientific" detailed explanation on how it work.[41]

The website also posted images purporting to come from its own magnetometer "custom tuned to HAARP's frequency", however these images were largely indistinguishable from HAARP's own magnetometer images.

He likes HAARP so much (he said) he bought the company [ edit ]

On July 18, 2013, following news reports of HAARP's shutdown and possible closure due to lack of funding,[43] Martin's website claimed TheWeatherSpace.com had "signed a one year contract" with HAARP, placing Martin in control of the facility.[44] However within a day, news outlets clarified the details of the initial shutdown story: HAARP's shutdown was only temporary while administrative contracts were being reassigned.[45] Martin quickly published a retraction, claiming one of his staff, "a writer", had fabricated the story.[46] The following month, Martin admitted he did not know how HAARP worked, stating he was just a "weather guy".[47][48]

Chemtrail forecast [ edit ]

Happy chemtrails to you...

Another feature of Martin's websites are their thoughtful "chemtrail forecasts" featuring more questionable maps, this time relabeled and doctored with colored blobs to show locations of "low", "moderate" and "high" concentrations of chemtrails.[49]

Martin's "Chemtrail Forecast System" Facebook page flat out refused to answer questions regarding how alleged chemtrails were supposedly detected and imaged: "DO NOT ASK HOW: We keep out algorithms to the project. We provide the image and reserve the right to not publicly disclose our "core" of the project. Thanks." [50]

Martin alleges that meteorologists know chemtrails exist but will not disclose details. He claims he's been denied work as a meteorologist because he mentioned chemtrails during job interviews (this could actually be true). Martin's view of what chemtrails are is rather changeable. In January 2008 he was sure harmful chemicals were being dispensed from containers placed in line with aircraft engines to fool observers into thinking they are ordinary jet contrails, and he knew this because he had a secret contact who gave him info about such things.[51] A couple of months later, he was saying that there were no chemical dispensers, airline engine exhaust itself was poisoning people.[52]

“ ” The fact is, airline exhaust IS THE CHEMTRAIL. Chemicals are in these gases that harm human, plant, and animal life. These chemicals can fall in time and create surface dis-coloring. I'm always there to give you the truth. You ARE being poisoned, and them chemtrails are real. However, the way you think is not accurate. Planes are the cause. All planes. It's the invisible killer. —The invisible killer by Kevin D. Martin, OWSweather.com

Global warming denial [ edit ]

Martin expounded on his theories that global warming didn't exist in 2009, saying, "Global warming is just another scam for the government to think they can control you".[53] When tropical storm Humberto gained enough strength to be declared the first hurricane of the 2013 season by the National Hurricane Center of the NWS,[54] Martin's website announced it would not recognize Humberto as a hurricane because the NOAA obviously pushed Humberto to hurricane status "to fulfill their Global warming agenda".[55]

Threats and conflicts [ edit ]

In January 2015, Martin told San Diego, California TV station KGTV that he "won't ever be arrested" because "I do my threats in a way where it screws with their mind mentally".[56] This idea isn't working out too well, though.

Threats to storm chasers and meteorologists [ edit ]

Martin is also quite infamous in legitimate storm chaser circles. In 2011, some storm chasers were dismayed to find their storm photos being used as graphic design elements on Martin's TheWeatherSpace.com.[57] When the storm chasers confronted him on Facebook, Martin launched a tirade of abuse that included his standard repertoire of threats and posturing:

“ ” I am in direct war with the chaser community and half of you are lucky I do not LIVE out there or I'd take this with fists and beatdowns into the field and trust me, a guy like me you don't mess with. —Martin's Facebook confrontation with Stormchaser community[58]

One storm chaser recorded dozens of similar threats and abuse by Martin over a three year period.[59] In January 2014, after a spat with retired Oklahoma TV meteorologist Aaron Tuttle, Martin published an article on TheWeatherSpace.com claiming Tuttle was a child molester.[60]

Threats to NOAA and NWS [ edit ]

When the National Weather Service released a statement in 2011 disclaiming any association with Martin, his websites, or "official alerts",[9] Martin posted a video on YouTube that depicted various NWS offices being blown up with explosives. Martin, seemingly unable to understand why that sort of thing might upset NWS employees and other federal authorities, posted a response on TheWeatherSpace.com explaining that "blowing up would be a metaphor type art for weeding out the competition, not an actual threat".[61].

Martin first began soliciting donations for a "lawsuit fundraiser" to pursue what he referred to as "NOAA Vs Kevin Martin" (sic) in February 2013.[62] Martin apparently posts regular rants at the Godlike Productions message forum, where users describe him as an "unstable person," and one storm chaser organization said that legal advisors had "urged that people not donate to Martin," saying, "it was most likely a scam to get money from unsuspecting victims."[63] Half a year later, Martin claimed the National Weather Service's statement was causing him anxiety and heart problems and that he planned to sue NOAA and NWS as a whole for $20 million.[64] Martin filed a frivolous lawsuit against the National Weather Service near the middle of September 2013 [65] in which he named NWS official Laura K. Furgione as a defendant.[66] In March 2014, the District Court of California found that Martin had failed to serve papers to the defendant(s) and that his accomplice, Chrissie Martin, had possibly committed perjury. They notified him that his pending civil action against Furgione would be dismissed unless he completed necessary legal requirements within 8 days.[67] In May 2014, Martin claimed he had withdrawn the action, due to "not wanting to deplete the government of it’s funds to save lives in weather".[68]

Threats to RationalWiki [ edit ]

In August 2013, Kevin (and eventually his brother) tried to remove large chunks of this article and posted legal threats on its talk page.[69] [70] [71] [72][73] When that failed, Martin sent the following message to RationalWiki's operations manager, Trent Toulouse:

If this is not taken care of we will put an article out with libelous stuff on it about your company, including hosting child pornography. We are connected to Google News at TheWeatherSpace.com and we will most certainly make your site a living nightmare for not listening to us. You are to REMOVE what we tell you, and I am the CEO of the company and I have that power to publish a libelous article about your site. We will accuse all staff members of child pornography and it will go on the top search engine searches for your site. We will further encourage all to not associate and/or donate to your site. Do you really want to start a war with me, son? Kevin Martin TheWeatherSpace.com CEO

Followed shortly after by:

So you Fucked up… I told you to remove the page "Kevin Martin" … If it is not removed this will not be removed. In 10 minutes it will be on Google Searches and Google News… (With a link to the web page reproduced here) Do the right thing or I'll destroy you … Is it worth it? No … It shouldn't be if I am going to destroy you.

Obviously, as of today, he has failed to follow through on his threat.

In October 2013, Martin criticized The Weather Channel and harassed a number of amateur weather enthusiasts on Facebook. A series of "pop up" Facebook pages (rapidly put up and taken down to avoid tracking)[74] as well as a web site entitled "Weather Police"[75] notified readers of a pseudo "legal code" regarding circumstances that would get one "arrested and convicted", such as "calling yourself a meteorologist when you have less than 10 years professional experience" and failing to explain "your reasoning or thoughts…in scientific detail".[76]

The following month, Martin reported that his Facebook accounts had been suspended and that he was planning to visit Facebook's offices to "get answers", saying, "I spent too much money and too many years investing into the project and put my own life on hold in the process … for them to dictate my life is not only dangerous for them, but dangerous for me …".[77] He eventually threatened Facebook with legal action, saying "Facebook will be handed a lawsuit if the last of the talks do not work. We are sending everything we can over as we speak, including hate pages about me, hate sites, and libel…DONATE TO THE LAWSUIT …"[78]

When Martin showed up at Facebook Headquarters in Menlo Park, California, in 2014, he was quickly removed from the building by local police. On a subsequent visit, he shouted accusations through a bullhorn from a public sidewalk located a safe distance from the facility.[79]

Various threats to Google corporation and others [ edit ]

Further examples of Kevin Martin talking tough can be found in these YouTube videos:

See also [ edit ]

Notes [ edit ]

↑ Named after the city of Ontario, near San Bernardino, CA. No connection with the Canadian province of Ontario.