Weather Channel Defends Hurricane Florence Correspondent Accused of Exaggerating Wind Severity

The Weather Channel is defending Mike Seidel, the reporter who went viral this weekend for apparently exaggerating the severity of storm conditions in the south east this week.

Seidel stood braced in a wide stance during live coverage of Hurricane Florence on Friday. He shifted from foot to foot, as though powerful gusts were moving him in his slick rain coat. However, as seen behind him, two young men strolled past in hoodies with no apparent resistance from the wind. Now, the Weather Channel tells The Washington Post that Seidel does not deserve the mockery he has gotten on social media.

“It’s important to note that the two individuals in the background are walking on concrete, and Mike Seidel is trying to maintain his footing on wet grass,” the network said. The statement went on to note that Seidel made that particular report “after reporting on-air until 1:00 a.m. ET this morning and is undoubtedly exhausted.”

Still, the Post’s Erik Wemple could not help but wonder: “Why was he on the grass, then? Why not put him on the asphalt if that would have been safer?”

Even amongst the meanest social media critics, the clip was treated with some level of fondness. Weather reporters pointlessly braving dangerous conditions — and sometimes getting caught exaggerating — is a staple of American TV, and most people seemed to regard Seidel’s clip as harmless. At the same time, it was hard for anyone to attack the haggard reporter when the danger of Florence was so clear in other reports.

Florence, which has now been downgraded all the way to a tropical depression, has taken an estimated 14 lives at the time of publication, according to a report by The New York Post.

While the winds slowed significantly as the storm reached land, the region was just too saturated to handle the excessive rainfall. The National Weather Service says that about 24 inches of rain have already fallen in parts of South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia, and as much as 18 more inches are expected before the storm is through.

This is bad news for the flood-prone states. Already, many local rivers and waterways are full past their banks. The increased precipitation will send water surging through local towns and other areas, search for a way out.

Mandatory evacuations were ordered for many areas earlier this week, though some lacked the resources to get out of their homes. Florence has also increased the likelihood of thunderstorms and tornadoes in the area.