The federal agency that monitors hurricanes said Friday that Hurricane Dorian could have impacted Alabama, backing claims by President Trump that he was right to tweet a warning over the weekend about the storm affecting the state.
In an unsigned statement, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said that “information provided by NOAA and the National Hurricane Center to President Trump and the wider public demonstrated that tropical-storm-force winds from Hurricane Dorian could impact Alabama.” The advisories in question were dated from Wednesday, Aug. 28 to Monday, Sept. 2, the agency said.
TRUMP DOUBLES DOWN ON CLAIM DORIAN THREATENED ALABAMA, SLAMS MEDIA MOCKERY
The statement points to a few graphics issued by the National Hurricane Center to support Trump’s claims. The maps show percentage possibility of tropical storm force winds in the United States. Parts of Alabama were covered, usually with 5 percent to 10 percent chances, between Aug. 27 and Sept. 3. Maps on Aug. 30 grew to cover far more of Alabama, but for only 12 hours, and the highest percentage hit 20 percent to 30 percent before quickly shrinking back down.
The controversy began Sunday morning when Trump tweeted that Florida, “South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama, will most likely be hit [much] harder than anticipated” by Dorian. In response, the National Weather Service’s Birmingham office tweeted that Alabama “will NOT see any impacts from Dorian.” – READ MORE