What is Facebook's 'Leviathan' Theory, and Why Has It Been Spreading Online? Why Some People Believe the US Blizzards Were Man-Made

As freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall moved across more than half of the United States in recent days, a fringe theory began circulating online claiming the extreme weather was artificial. Posts suggested the US government or unnamed 'powers that be' had deliberately created a winter superstorm to freeze a mythical Leviathan-like creature allegedly awakening near Virginia Beach. The claims gained traction as images of an elongated, serpentine shape in the Atlantic circulated with captions alleging a cover-up.

Some posts claimed the figure was as large as New Jersey and pointed to nearby military bases as supposed evidence of government involvement. Others suggested the storm was designed to immobilise the creature beneath ice, framing the blizzard as an intentional act rather than a natural event.

The Real Winter Storm Behind The Claims

In reality, the United States was experiencing a large and dangerous winter storm affecting tens of millions of people. On 24 January, snow and freezing rain swept across New Mexico and Texas before moving northeast, bringing ice, transport disruption and power outages. The National Weather Service warned of potentially catastrophic ice accumulation and described an 'astonishingly long swath' of snowfall stretching from New Mexico to Maine.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said as many as 240 million Americans could be affected, with at least 16 states and Washington, DC declaring states of emergency. More than 3,900 flights were cancelled in a single day, with thousands more delayed, according to FlightAware. Nearly 130,000 customers were without power, including more than 50,000 in Texas and Louisiana, as freezing rain and snow hit regions unaccustomed to prolonged cold.

Why Some Believe The Storm Was Man-Made

The Leviathan theory gained momentum as images from the Virginia coastline were widely shared and misinterpreted. Users highlighted a long, curved dark shape offshore, drawing attention to it, claiming it was proof of a creature beneath the water. Posts from accounts such as LovelySunshineMoss and Christopher Archer suggested the storm was 'fake' and linked it to nearby military installations.

Experts note that these images are a clear case of pareidolia, a phenomenon where the human brain perceives familiar shapes in random patterns. In this instance, sandbars, underwater ridges or shadows were interpreted as a mythical beast. The timing of school closures, icy roads and heavy snowfall helped the narrative spread, offering a dramatic explanation during an already stressful weather event.

Scientific Explanation For The Extreme Cold

Meteorologists have attributed the storm to a stretched polar vortex, a large area of low-pressure cold air that usually remains near the Arctic. Occasionally, the vortex elongates and allows cold air to spill southwards across North America. This process can result in prolonged cold snaps, heavy snow and dangerous wind chills.

Authorities warned that wind chill temperatures could fall below -50F (-45C) in parts of the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest, conditions that can cause frostbite within minutes. New York Governor Kathy Hochul cautioned that just 'five or six minutes' outside could be dangerous for health, urging residents to stay indoors and protect vulnerable neighbours.

Online Reaction And The Spread Of The Theory

Despite clear explanations from weather agencies, the Leviathan theory continued to spread, often framed humorously or sarcastically. Some users shared the posts as satire, while others treated the claims as genuine. The images and captions provided a distraction from power outages, travel disruption and safety warnings dominating news coverage.

Government agencies, including the National Weather Service, continued to stress that the storm was natural and urged the public to focus on safety rather than online rumours. President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that federal offices in Washington would close and encouraged people to stay warm and safe.