Longtime Alabama meteorologist James Spann renewed his warnings about hurricane misinformation on social media during a visit to Alabama’s Gulf Coast over the weekend, in the middle of hurricane season.
Spann, the Birmingham-based broadcast meteorologist known for his decades of storm coverage and large social media following, was the keynote speaker at a disaster preparedness forum hosted by United Way of Southwest Alabama at the National Maritime Museum of the Gulf in downtown Mobile. Speaking to a large crowd gathered Saturday, Spann urged people to seek out credible sources, avoid sharing alarmist weather posts with friends and family, and “think before you share.”
“We live in a cesspool of disinformation,” Spann said. “We have a real problem here.”
While Spann has long been a trusted weather source in north and central Alabama, he is also well known along the Gulf Coast, easily recognizable for his straight-shooting forecasts and trademark suspenders. Spann, who grew up in Greenville, spent Saturday in Mobile speaking at the seminar before later dining at Callaghan’s Irish Social Club, where he declared on Facebook that he may have found the best cheeseburger in Alabama.
A Viral Hoax as a Cautionary Tale
During his presentation, Spann pointed to a specific example of the kind of misinformation he warns about: a Facebook post declaring, “Killer Hurricane to Hit Florida!” that was published by a source with no connection to the National Weather Service or the National Hurricane Center.
“It was shared two million times,” Spann said. “We had people canceling beach vacations and elective surgery because some nitwit put this on Facebook. There was no truth to this — none whatsoever.”
Spann said social media users should be skeptical of any post predicting a storm’s path more than 10 days before it is expected to arrive.
“There is no skill in forecasting a placement or a tropical cyclone more than 10 days in advance,” Spann said. “Science is not at that point. Deterministic model output beyond 240 hours means nothing. Think before you share.”
A Rare Foray Beyond Weather
Spann, who generally avoids political commentary, has occasionally spoken out about the broader effects of social media. Following the assassination of Charlie Kirk last year, he lamented what he described as a societal “decay” and discussed threats he had received in recent years. Social media, he said, is simply a microcosm of society.
“I strongly recommend that you turn off your phone today and just take a long walk outside,” Spann said. “Too much negativity online can drain your mental energy.”
Despite those concerns, Spann has built one of the largest weather-focused social media audiences in the country. He has more than 550,000 followers on X and roughly 301,000 followers on TikTok, where his videos have drawn more than 2.8 million likes. He has said his combined Facebook and Instagram following totals about 1.5 million people.
That reach, he said, is vital to keeping the public informed with credible weather information that can save lives.
“At least, in my case, I will not do the fear stuff,” Spann said, urging people to follow certified meteorologists for weather updates. “I cannot control what some knuckleheads say on social media, but if you hear me say strong words, it’s happening.”
The forum drew community members, first responders and local officials from across Mobile and Baldwin counties, reflecting continued regional focus on storm preparedness as hurricane season approaches its most active stretch.