NOAA previously predicted 'above-normal hurricane activity' this year: '17 to 25 named storms'



The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a government agency, previously predicted in May that this year, the country would experience "above-normal hurricane activity in the Atlantic basin."

The agency's National Weather Service forecasters at the Climate Prediction Center reported earlier this year that the 2024 hurricane season, stretching from June 1 through November 30, had an 85% chance of an above-normal season, only a 10% chance of near-normal, and just a 5% chance of below-normal.

'Extremely dangerous, life-threatening storm.'

NOAA estimated that this year's hurricane season would likely see "17 to 25 named storms" with wind gusts of 39 mph or more. Of those storms, it predicted that eight to 13 of them would become hurricanes with winds of 74 mph or higher. It also forecasted that there would be four to seven "major hurricanes" that would reach Category 3, 4, or 5, with winds of 111 mph or more.

"Forecasters have a 70% confidence in these ranges," NOAA reported.

The agency claimed that several factors contributed to the above-normal season, including warm temperatures and fewer trade winds and less wind shear in the Atlantic Ocean, as well as La Nina conditions in the Pacific.

FEMA Deputy Administrator Erik A. Hooks commented on the NOAA report at the time, stating, "Severe weather and emergencies can happen at any moment, which is why individuals and communities need to be prepared today."

"Already, we are seeing storms move across the country that can bring additional hazards like tornadoes, flooding, and hail," Hooks continued. "Taking a proactive approach to our increasingly challenging climate landscape today can make a difference in how people can recover tomorrow."

Despite the federal government and, more specifically, FEMA having knowledge of the above-normal prediction at least since May, the Biden-Harris administration seemed ill-prepared to handle the devastation of Hurricane Helene. Many reports from those on the ground who volunteered to help stranded individuals in need claimed that FEMA's response was slow at best.

In the wake of Helene, Florida residents are once again bracing themselves for the oncoming Hurricane Milton that is set to barrel through the peninsula this week. The storm is expected to reach landfall as a Category 3. Over 1 million Floridians are under evacuation orders.

The United States Department of Labor posted on X Tuesday afternoon, "[Milton] is an extremely dangerous, life-threatening storm. LEAVE NOW if you are in an evacuation zone; there will not be time to leave on Wednesday."

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Watchdog accuses Biden administration of pushing 'misleading and inaccurate claims' in climate report



A nonpartisan government watchdog group has filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Commerce, requesting an investigation into possibly unethical and unscientific practices at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The watchdog is specifically concerned with NOAA's Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters tracking project, also know as the Billions Project, which has kept track of weather-related disasters since 1980. As the name would suggest, the project focuses on disasters that supposedly result in losses of $1 billion or more.

According to Protect the Public's Trust, those behind the Billions Project may be responsible for "scientific integrity violations" as well as "misleading and inaccurate claims about the Project's dataset."

This is especially troubling because the Billions Project is greatly impactful. It has been cited by the U.S. Global Change Research Program as a "climate change indicator"; its data was referenced last year as evidence that "extreme events are becoming more frequent and severe" in the same federal program's "Fifth National Climate Assessment"; and its results have reportedly been cited in nearly 1,000 articles.

Protect the Public's Trust noted in its April 3 letter to NOAA science integrity officer Cynthia Decker and to Roderick Anderson, the acting inspector general of the U.S. DOC, "Though cited as evidence of climate change effects, the Billions Project does not utilize climate data. The Project's dataset only collects and reports economic data about disaster losses."

Since it relies upon economic data, PPT noted that the Billions Project "cannot distinguish the effect of climate change as a factor on disaster losses from the effect of human factors like increases in the vulnerability and exposure of people and wealth to disaster damages due to population and economic growth."

The PPT alleged that the project:

  • employs opaque methods to calculate losses from individual disaster events that "result in drastically higher loss estimates than those reported by other institutions at NOAA";
  • uses "undisclosed non-traditional costs in its calculations [which] can mislead and misinform the public about the relevant scale of the disaster losses reported in the Project's dataset";
  • adds and removes disaster events from the dataset without so much as an explanation;
  • adjusts its loss data "beyond what inflation-adjustments require and does so for unexplained reasons";
  • "'scales up' loss data based on various factors without disclosing the methodology for its calculation or the baseline data"; and
  • appears to use inconsistent calculation methods over time.

The PPT stressed that the "national conversation on climate change and disaster-response should not be tainted by inaccurate, misleading, and self-serving scientific analysis."

"The American public has every right to expect, even demand, that the scientific research funded by their tax dollars is conducted under the most rigorous standards of integrity, transparency, and quality," said PPT director Michael Chamberlain in a statement.

"This is especially true when that research is used to underpin decisions that affect nearly every aspect of their lives — from the cars they drive, to the foods they eat, to how those foods are prepared. Despite the fact the Billions Project is being used to affect precisely these types of decisions, the principles of scientific integrity, transparency, and quality appear to be severely lacking in its work," added Chamberlain.

Just the News reported that the study by Dr. Roger Pielke Jr. referenced in the PPT complaint raised similar concerns earlier this year.

Pielke, an environmental studies professor at the University of Colorado at Boulder, underscored in the pre-print of his forthcoming paper that "public claims promoted by NOAA associated with the dataset and its significance are flawed and misleading. ... Similarly flawed are NOAA's claims that increasing annual counts of billion dollar disasters are in part a consequence of human caused climate change."

NOAA responded in January to this line of critique, telling Just the News that "the methodologies of the Billion Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters product are laid out in Smith and Katz, 2013, a peer-reviewed publication, and follow NOAA’s Information Quality and Scientific Integrity Policies."

Chamberlain found the spokesman's response to be "of the 'you'll just have to trust us' variety. While they may call themselves 'scientists,' that's not how science works."

The Billions Project concluded in its last annual report that there were 28 weather and climate disasters in 2023, "surpassing the previous record of 22 in 2020, tallying a price tag of at least $92.9 billion. The project claims that the U.S. has sustained 378 weather and climate disasters each resulting in at least $1 billion in damages or costs since 1980. These allegedly add up to $2.69 trillion.

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Woke National Weather Service hails '#TransDayOfVisibility'



The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service has endorsed radical leftist gender ideology by marking International Transgender Day of Visibility.

"To promote justice, equality, and equity for the transgender community, the National Weather Service family champions and stands alongside our transgender employees on this day and every day! #TransDayOfVisibility," the National Weather Service tweeted on Friday.

Babylon Bee CEO Seth Dillon sarcastically responded to the NWS post by tweeting, "This is important because no one in the media or government ever acknowledges anyone in the transgender community."

The NOAA Climate.gov Twitter account retweeted the NWS post and declared, "Happy #TransDayOfVisibility."

\u201cHappy #TransDayOfVisibility \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f\u201d
— NOAA Climate.gov (@NOAA Climate.gov) 1680290097

On Thursday, President Joe Biden had issued a proclamation declaring Friday as "Transgender Day of Visibility" — he had previously issued proclamations in 2021 and 2022 as well.

NOAA is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce, which quoted from and linked to the president's proclamation in a tweet on Friday.

\u201cToday, we show millions of transgender and nonbinary Americans that we see them, they belong, and they should be treated with dignity and respect. #TransVisibilityDay\n\nhttps://t.co/H5wFQHbbAh.\u201d
— U.S. Commerce Dept. (@U.S. Commerce Dept.) 1680268627

The State Department also marked the day.

"On Transgender Day of Visibility, the United States reaffirms that transgender rights are human rights. We celebrate the achievements and resilience of transgender, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming persons around the world. We recognize their bravery in their hard-fought work for equality, inclusion, and the full recognition of their human rights, which continues to this day," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

"At the same time, we underscore the work that remains to ensure that all transgender, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming persons are able to live authentically, safely, and with dignity. This work includes ensuring that all persons are able to secure identity documents that fully reflect who they are. Transgender persons deserve to live free from violence, discrimination, and stigma," Blinken said.

Earlier this month, a transgender woman from Argentina was among the honorees at the International Women of Courage Awards ceremony hosted by Blinken and first lady Jill Biden at the White House — a transgender woman is a biological man who identifies as a woman.

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Terrifying videos show Hurricane Ida blast Louisiana, tear off hospital roof, intense storm surge floods Gulf Coast



Hurricane Ida slammed into Louisiana on Sunday, pounding the shoreline with devastating wind and dangerous storm surges.

Hurricane Ida made landfall Sunday at 12:55 p.m. near Port Fourchon, Louisiana, which is 16 years after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the state. The Category 4 storm packed powerful winds of 150 mph, which makes Ida one of only three hurricanes that made Louisiana landfall with sustained winds of that magnitude, joining Laura (2020) and the Last Island Hurricane (1856). The National Hurricane Center declared Ida still to be a Category 4 hurricane in its 6 p.m. EST update.

The storm surge, which was projected to be up to 15 feet in some parts of the region, was so intense that it forced the mighty Mississippi River to flow in reverse as massive amounts of seawater was pushed ashore, according to Bloomberg.

EYE OF A MONSTER: @NOAA's #GOESEast 🛰️ gives an up-close look at the lightning swirling around the eye of… https://t.co/SCH7Sn7PMh

— NOAA Satellites (@NOAASatellites) 1630247465.0

"This is not the kind of storm that we normally get," Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said. "This is going to be much stronger than we usually see and, quite frankly, if you had to draw up the worst possible path for a hurricane in Louisiana, it would be something very, very close to what we're seeing."

Edwards requested a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration, "Hurricane Ida is one of the strongest storms to ever hit Louisiana. It is our goal to assist our local agencies and the citizens of the state as quickly as possible, and we have pre-positioned search and rescue teams, boats and other assets to begin helping people as soon as it is safe."

Hurricane Ida made landfall in the United States as an extremely dangerous Category 4 storm that could plunge much… https://t.co/uSmE9Nu6ko

— Reuters (@Reuters) 1630274760.0

Security camera footage from a fire station in Delacroix shows how much water rushed into the coastal areas in only one hour.

Before and after security camera footage from Fire Station #12 in Delacroix within a 1 hour time span.… https://t.co/SThvDscj4y

— St. Bernard Parish (@StBGov) 1630262121.0

Terrifying video shows Hurricane Ida tear off the roof of the Lady of the Sea General Hospital in Galliano, Louisiana.

LAFOURCE PARISH: Part of the roof of Lady of the Sea General Hospital, in Galliano, blew off. 😳@BrennanMatherne tol… https://t.co/ANINQffSNT

— Christina Watkins (@CWatkinsWDSU) 1630269527.0

The monster storm ripped off a roof and tossed it onto the street in New Orleans' French Quarter, where there is a flash flood warning.

1:45pm: Remarkable wind damage already taking place on Decatur Street in the French Quarter. https://t.co/xs8387Ngtx

— Markie Martin (@MarkieMartin) 1630262886.0


Part of a roof flew off in the #frenchquarter taking out a street light. Stay safe during #HurricaneIda @CBSMiami https://t.co/CzNt8YXuKF

— Ted Scouten (@CBS4Ted) 1630263375.0

Furious winds and pelting rain blasted Houma, Louisiana.

A large tree was uprooted and fell on a home in Morgan City.

Large tree uprooted and topped onto home in Morgan City, LA. Woman was asleep when it hit her house. She is fine.… https://t.co/jZD0L2U56D

— Charles Peek (@CharlesPeekWX) 1630267176.0

Nearly 600,000 customers in Louisiana are without power.

Hurricane Ida shut down more than 95% of the oil production in the Gulf of Mexico, according to regulators, which is expected to increase gas prices.

Check out this video from an off-shore oil rig right as Hurricane #Ida gets set to make landfall. Maximum sustained… https://t.co/MCHBUgpMrn

— MyRadar Weather (@MyRadarWX) 1630256318.0

The Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunters flew through Ida's eye twice.

Second pass: https://t.co/h7IyGApoXe

— Hurricane Hunters (@53rdWRS) 1630269853.0

Horowitz: Dept. of Commerce demands proof of vaccination in order for employees to breathe freely



Sure, the government won't mandate vaccine passports. They'll just make you prove that you were vaccinated in order to function normally in society. For those who thought they won the battle against coerced vaccination, it's time to realize that it's not just the "private" sector violating federal law by ostensibly mandating an experimental gene agent, the government itself is now doing it, too.

Last Tuesday, the Department of Commerce sent out an email to all employees updating its workplace COVID-19 safety guidance. The email obtained by Blaze Media stated that "fully vaccinated federal employees, onsite contractors, and visitors are no longer required to wear face masks or practice physical distancing while in Department of Commerce (DOC) facilities." However, they warn that "fully vaccinated individuals who wish to remove their face masks and not maintain physical distancing may be required to furnish documentation confirming their vaccination status to their supervisor(s) or others charged with ensuring safety compliance upon request. Appropriate documentation of vaccination status includes an original, a copy, or a photograph of a vaccination document."

In a FAQ memo sent to employees of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA and a DOC agency) on Friday, the agency reiterated that supervisors may ask for proof of vaccination in order not to wear masks or social distance and also encouraged them to report people who refuse to do so.

NOAA COVID-19 Vaccine FAQs.pdf

Thus, with the flick of a pen the government has violated the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) statute for its own workforce by requiring people to be vaccinated. To say that having to wear a mask indefinitely for eight hours a day is not coercion is nothing short of lunacy. The statute is crystal clear. The same section of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, 21 U.S.C. § 360bbb-3, that authorizes the FDA to even grant Emergency Use Authorization status in the first place also requires the secretary of Health and Human Services to "ensure that individuals to whom the product is administered are informed … of the option to accept or refuse administration of the product."

Perforce, not only must the vaccine remain optional, the government itself must ensure that people know it is indeed optional. Instead, they are doing the opposite by stating that people will either be separated, masked, or discriminated against for not getting the vaccine, regardless of their risk status or if they had the infection already, which has proven to convey greater immunity than the vaccine.

The cruel irony of the vaccine mandate is that the CEOs of Pfizer and Moderna just said that the first people who were vaccinated in December and January will need a "booster" shot in September. So, is this going to become mandatory as well? The vaccine is so effective…that it requires constant reinforcement, something we don't see of natural infection even 17 years after SARS 1.

In an email guidance obtained by TheBlaze, the National Weather Service Employees Organization, the union for NWS employees, explicitly state, "This guidance on not wearing masks only applies to those who have been fully vaccinated. It does not apply to those who have caught COVID and have some level of natural immunity but chose not to get vaccinated." [emphasis in original]

So much for an agency of scientists following the science!



The policy of the Department of Commerce stands at odds with the policy of the Department of Justice (DOJ), which likely better understands how to read a statute. Earlier this month, DOJ sent out a memo stating that "Supervisors and managers should not ask about an employee's vaccination status or use information about an employee's vaccination status to make decisions about how and when employees will report to a workplace instead of teleworking."

The twisted irony of the DOC policy, which is being adopted by many public and private actors, is that they are leveraging a mandate of an experimental device with the force of a mask mandate, which in itself, must remain optional because it was approved by the FDA last year under an Emergency Use Authorization. As I warned, once we acceded to mask mandates without strong legal and political counteractions, we paved the road for the ruling class to violate the EUA conditions for vaccination as well.

Health privacy, respect for disabilities, and equal treatment used to be sacrilege for liberals. Title III of the ADA, which states, "Public accommodations must comply with basic nondiscrimination requirements that prohibit exclusion, segregation, and unequal treatment," has been used zealously against businesses who ever tried to discriminate based on health states.

In this case, with everyone who wants to be vaccinated having had that protection for months, it is irrational to force it upon those who don't want it. In a 1990 AIDS discrimination case, a district court ruled [740 f supp 95 (D.P.R 1990)] that denial of a special permit to an AIDS Center based on "irrational unfounded fears" was improper.

As it stands today, there is no evidence masks work, there is no evidence vaccinated people are in danger from those not vaccinated (and if so, are somehow protected by masks), and that vaccines convey a greater degree of immunity than natural infection. Nor is there any rational legal basis for continuing to treat healthy people at this stage as if they have the virus for the rest of their lives.

Title III of the Civil Rights Act [ 28 CFR § 36.208] states clearly that "In determining whether an individual poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others, a public accommodation must make an individualized assessment, based on reasonable judgment that relies on current medical knowledge or on the best available objective evidence, to ascertain." These factors include, "the nature, duration, and severity of the risk; the probability that the potential injury will actually occur; and whether reasonable modifications of policies, practices, or procedures or the provision of auxiliary aids or services will mitigate the risk."

Forcing every human being to either inject an experimental gene therapy in their body or wear a mask all day – regardless of their symptoms, whether they had the virus, and for how long – is absolutely unreasonable. It treats breathing as a privilege, not as a right. Moreover, the potential for injury at the hands of an unvaccinated person, by their own measure of the efficacy of the vaccines for those who got the shots, is zero.

Then again, we were never a nation of laws. We were always a nation of political will to enforce the laws we believed in. The question is if we still have any political will to stand for the most basic human rights.

After the hottest September in 140 years, 2020 on track to be second-hottest year on record

Earth experienced its hottest September since 1880, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Tuesday. Year to date, 2020 has been the second-hottest year since climate records were first kept 141 years ago.