--- title: "National Weather Service to update 'Lake America' naming conventions" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/national-weather-service-to-update-lake-america-naming-conventions" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/national-weather-service-to-update-lake-america-naming-conventions" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/national-weather-service-to-update-lake-america-naming-conventions.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/national-weather-service-to-update-lake-america-naming-conventions" category: "Politics" published: "2026-09-14T22:05:10.203Z" source_reported: "2026-09-14T21:48:50.799Z" updated: "2026-09-14T22:05:10.203Z" trust_score: 42 critic_score: 57 hype_score: 20 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-09-15T00:30:21.138394+00:00" --- # National Weather Service to update 'Lake America' naming conventions *The agency is working to implement a name change following an executive order from President Trump.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 42 of 100, higher is better. Central claim attributed to National Weather Service; one outlet named on record. - Craft 57 of 100, higher is better. Reporting is clear and holds together; affected parties are not quoted. - Hype 20 of 100, lower is better. Language is measured and proportionate, with no sensationalism. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - President Donald Trump signed an executive order to recognise Lake Ontario as 'Lake America'. - The National Weather Service is updating its naming conventions for maps and weather products. - The agency stated the updates should not disrupt operations. - The name 'Ontario' is an Indigenous word that predates European colonisation. The National Weather Service is working to update its naming conventions to reflect the change of Lake Ontario to 'Lake America'. The agency stated that work is underway to update online maps, weather products, websites, and other materials. These updates are not expected to disrupt any operations. President Donald Trump signed an executive order at the end of August 2026, directing the United States to recognise Lake Ontario as 'Lake America'. The executive order cannot alter how other countries refer to the body of water. The name 'Ontario' is an Indigenous word that predates European colonisation. ## Disagreement on prior renaming experience The Palm Beach Post reported that the National Weather Service already has experience renaming a body of water, stating it changed Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America in 2025. None of the other reports mention prior renaming experience. ## What the coverage left out None of the left-rated or centre-rated reports mention the ongoing tariff battle between the U.S. and Canada, which Spectrum News stated was the context for the executive order. ## Who covered it Shares of the 10 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 60% (6) - Centre: 40% (4) - Right: 0% (0) 1 of 11 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-09-15T00:30:21.138394+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 11 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-09-15T00:45:13.105Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - The left-rated reports focused on the National Weather Service's action to rename Lake Ontario. USA Today reported the service would begin a phased-in approach to renaming the lake in its products and services. Washingtonsun.com stated the agency had already changed names of geographical features to reflect President Trump's decisions. Palm Beach Post reported the service moves to rename Lake Ontario 'Lake America' and noted the agency's prior experience renaming the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America in 2025. ### Centre - The centre-rated reports highlighted the National Weather Service's process of updating naming conventions. Spectrum News reported the agency was working to implement the name change following the executive order. Spectrum News 13 and Spectrum Local News stated the updates should not disrupt operations. All three centre-rated reports noted the executive order could not change how other countries name the body of water and that 'Ontario' is an Indigenous word pre-dating colonisation. ### Right No separate framing summary. **Provisional coverage gap:** right. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - high: 10 - unknown: 1 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [Democrat & Chronicle](https://democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2026/09/14/national-weather-service-nws-lake-america-lake-ontario/91766291007) — NWS begins using ‘Lake America’ instead of Lake Ontario - [Bay News 9](http://baynews9.com/fl/tampa/news/2026/09/14/national-weather-service-working-to-update--lake-america--naming-conventions-following-executive-order) — NWS working to update 'Lake America' naming conventions - [Weatherboy](https://weatherboy.com/national-weather-service-officially-using-lake-of-america-meteorologists-hope-to-avoid-threats-harassment) — National Weather Service Officially Using "Lake of America"; Meteorologists Hope to Avoid Threats & Harassment - [Spectrum News 13](http://mynews13.com/fl/orlando/news/2026/09/14/national-weather-service-working-to-update--lake-america--naming-conventions-following-executive-order) — NWS working to update 'Lake America' naming conventions - [Connecticut Post](https://ctpost.com/weather/article/lake-ontario-lake-america-noaa-weather-maps-22431324.php) — Client Challenge - [Spectrum News](http://spectrumnews1.com/ky/louisville/news/2026/09/14/national-weather-service-working-to-update--lake-america--naming-conventions-following-executive-order) — NWS working to update 'Lake America' naming conventions - [USA Today](https://usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/09/14/national-weather-service-begins-lake-ontario-name-change/91760891007) — National Weather Service starts renaming Lake Ontario in forecasts, maps - [Spectrum Local News](https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/central-ny/news/2026/09/14/national-weather-service-working-to-update--lake-america--naming-conventions-following-executive-order) — NWS working to update 'Lake America' naming conventions - [washingtonsun.com](https://washingtonsun.com/agencies/nws-lake-america-weather-forecast) — National Weather Service Orders Staff to Use ‘Lake America’ in Future Forecasts - [Palm Beach Post](https://palmbeachpost.com/story/weather/2026/09/14/national-weather-service-maps-will-soon-say-lake-america-instead-of-lake-ontario/91759361007) — National Weather Service moves to rename Lake Ontario Lake America - [The spokesman-Review](https://spokesman.com/stories/2026/sep/14/national-weather-service-starts-renaming-lake-onta) — National Weather Service starts renaming Lake Ontario in forecasts, maps ## Questions **What is the National Weather Service doing about the name change?** The National Weather Service is working to update its naming conventions for online maps, weather products, websites, and other materials to reflect the change of Lake Ontario to 'Lake America'. The agency stated these updates should not disrupt operations. **Who ordered the name change for Lake Ontario?** President Donald Trump signed an executive order at the end of August 2026, directing the United States to recognise Lake Ontario as 'Lake America'. This order cannot change how other countries refer to the body of water. **What is the significance of the name 'Ontario'?** The name 'Ontario' is an Indigenous word that predates European colonisation. The change to 'Lake America' has drawn mixed reactions from the community. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/national-weather-service-to-update-lake-america-naming-conventions. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "National Weather Service to update 'Lake America' naming conventions", https://mediabias.news/politics/national-weather-service-to-update-lake-america-naming-conventions