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Alabama’s most respected meteorologist, James Spann, recently expressed frustration over a “society full of hate, anger, rage, and the inability to think clearly,” following an onslaught of negative responses after he attempted to debunk hurricane-related misinformation. Spann took to Facebook earlier in the week to share his concerns after encountering a wave of false claims about Hurricane Milton, which developed in the Gulf of Mexico before making landfall in Florida. His post, as first reported by AL.com, urged his followers to stop spreading misinformation.
Among the wild claims Spann addressed were conspiracy theories, such as the assertion that “the moon has disappeared and was nuked by the government,” and that hurricanes were being steered by “chemtrails.” He also highlighted other baseless claims, like the notion that federal agencies were manipulating weather patterns to influence the upcoming presidential election or imprisoning relief workers.
Later in the week, Spann shared a link to a FEMA page that debunked rumors surrounding Hurricane Helene. However, instead of appreciation, Spann was met with a barrage of hostile comments. In a follow-up post, he wrote, “I pass along information from officials with zero comment. I have no interest in politics. But the threats I have received from posting this are not good. Some I turned in. Some of the most hateful messages I have received come from people with Bible verses all over their profile. It is clear that we live in a society full of hate, anger, rage, and the inability to think critically. It has been very tough today, and all I do is pass along information. If you hate me, that is fine, but you might want to pull down those verses and your church affiliation. It isn’t a good look. This post will be gone soon.”
In an interview with AL.com later that same day, Spann described the reaction to his post: “First message I received after the link to the FEMA site was ‘Go f*** yourself and retire.’ I knew then it wasn’t going to go well, and I finally deleted the post. In this business, you have to pick your battles, and this just wasn’t one I wanted to fight.”
The controversy comes as Hurricane Helene became a lightning rod for conspiracy theories. Rumors claiming that aid to storm victims was being seized or denied, especially in Republican-leaning areas, spread rapidly. Among those fueling the misinformation was former President Donald Trump, who falsely asserted that relief efforts were being intentionally blocked for political reasons. Adding fuel to the fire, Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene echoed these baseless claims, suggesting that certain groups had the power to control the weather and target Republican regions.
However, prominent Republicans stepped in to correct these narratives. Rep. Carlos Gimenez , R-FL, responded by stating, “Humans cannot create or control hurricanes,” while Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-NC), published a detailed fact-check that debunked claims about FEMA seizing or diverting aid. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell also condemned the falsehoods, calling them “frankly ridiculous” and warning that such misinformation distracts from recovery efforts.
In his own statement, President Joe Biden criticized the spread of disinformation, calling it “reckless, irresponsible, and relentless promotion of disinformation and outright lies.”
Though Spann typically avoids political commentary, except in his climate change skepticism, he has long pushed back against unsubstantiated claims. “The climate is changing. Always has, and always will. There is no such thing as a ‘climate denier.’ What some deny is that manmade greenhouse gases are the primary driver of climate change,” Spann wrote in 2015. He continued, “Those that disagree with me tend to believe every tornado, flood, heat wave, snowstorm, tropical storm, and wildfire is caused by anthropogenic climate change. I don’t.”
On Thursday morning, images began circulating on X, formerly Twitter, falsely depicting Disney World’s iconic Cinderella Castle submerged in floodwaters. The post, which claimed “Hurricane Milton has flooded Disney World in Orlando,” was shared by a known disinformation source. X users quickly pointed out that the images were likely created using AI technology, but the post had already amassed over 300,000 views.
Despite warnings on the platform that the photos were AI-generated, the fake images were translated into multiple languages and spread widely across X. RIA Novosti, a Russian state-owned news agency, further amplified the hoax by reposting the images on its official Telegram channel. The Guardian reported that this incident highlights the growing use of deep-fake technology in disinformation campaigns.
The rumors surrounding Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene have tested Spann’s usual restraint. His decision to delete the post after receiving hate-filled messages underscores the larger struggle that scientists, meteorologists, and public officials face in a media landscape dominated by misinformation. While Spann chose to retreat from this particular battle, the war against disinformation continues, with experts urging the public to seek facts, not fiction.
