6 September 2019
NOAA Issues False Statement About Alabama Hurricane Impacts
Posted by Dan Satterfield
On Sunday the NWS in Birmingham put this tweet out:
It was correct based on the guidance and on the public forecasts issued by the National Hurricane Center. Their forecast was actually nearly spot-on as well.
Tonight an unnamed person at NOAA issued this statement (below) Friday evening.
This statement is false. The tweet from the NWS in Birmingham was correct.
This is a dark day for NOAA. I have asked NOAA who the author of the statement was and will add to this post if I can find out.
Below is the NHC track from the day before at 2 PM (Sat. 31 August at 2 PM EDT). It was very clear even by then that Dorian would curve up the East Coast.
Update 9 PM Friday 6 Sept.
There has been strong blowback from the head of the NWS Employees Union:
…and from my friend James Spann at the ABC TV Affiliate in Birmingham, AL.
From Dr. Marshall Shepherd, past President of the AMS:
From another fellow broadcast meteorologist:
Jason Samenow, Matthew Cappucci and Andrew Freedman at the WAPO Capital Weather Gang have a late story on this as well.
Update: AP Science writer Seth Borenstein has the story up on the wire now.
I must say, I have never seen anything like this in my 40 years as a meteorologist. I know the Birmingham NWS Meteorologist who posted that tweet Sunday. He/She is a superb atmospheric scientist who did the right thing, and what NOAA did tonight is appalling and astounding. I expect a statement from the AMS on this as well soon.
If you work for the NWS/NOAA and wish to contact me with background information about this, I will keep your name confidential if you wish.
Who is the Trump appointee at NOAA? I guess they are geographically challenged ans think Alabama is east of Georgia.
== snip ==
“I’m concerned about privatization of NOAA services,” adds Rosenberg, a former NOAA deputy director. “It seems to me that there’s at least the potential for conflict of interest, but that has almost become the norm for this administration, unfortunately.”
== snip ==
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-00702-z
What happened is truly appalling and dishonest. The National Weather Service works tirelessly to save lives. Its professionals are among the best in the business.
That an unnamed individual, almost certainly one who has no scientific background (and probably a similar lack of ethics), would launch an attack on the Birmingham National Weather Service for an accurate statement aimed at correcting the President’s error is inconceivable.
Sadly, it seems to be a growing reality where “facts” are contrived to fit desired political narratives. Should this trend become entrenched, public safety will suffer for it.
Very disheartened by this turn of events. I haven’t been able to get an answer on the author just yet, but NOAA’s office of communications that released the statement is directed by Ms. Julie Roberts (https://www.noaa.gov/our-people/leadership/julie-kay-roberts), a political appointee with no scientific or weather forecasting background. Her professional experience is largely if not entirely in PR. Hope to see a strong response from the scientific leadership at NOAA in the coming days.
Thanks for this info.
Completely speculating here, but my guess is that someone within the Trump Administration pressured NOAA with future funding cuts and someone caved. They’re trying to send a message that if you work for the government you have to Bend the Knee if you want your FY budgets to remain intact.
Dan Satterfield, I watched you on WHNT in Alabama. You’re dang good at what you do! I agree that by the time the Tweet was posted, Alabama was no longer in the path of Dorian, but early on, were we not included in a potential impact zone?
No. Alabama was never in the cone from the NHC. That said, the only question here is whether the tweet on Sunday by NWS Bham was correct. It was.