Trump says Hurricane Dorian will hit Alabama as forecasters insist there is no threat – Washington Examiner

President Trump repeatedly said that Hurricane Dorian will hit Alabama, even as forecasters insist the powerful storm will not head in that direction.

Dorian became a “major” Category 5 hurricane with 180 mph sustained maximum winds Sunday morning as it approached the northern Bahamas and the eastern Florida coast.

Forecasters right now expect Dorian to turn north and swipe the coast of Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas, but Trump tweeted Alabama, which is west of Florida, will also be hit.

“In addition to Florida – South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama, will most likely be hit (much) harder than anticipated. Looking like one of the largest hurricanes ever. Already category 5. BE CAREFUL! GOD BLESS EVERYONE!” he tweeted Sunday morning.

Trump again mentioned Alabama during a hurricane briefing by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as he was advising American citizens in Dorian’s path to heed the warnings and evacuation orders from local authorities.

“It may get a little piece of a great place — it’s called Alabama, and Alabama could even be in for at least some very strong winds,” Trump said. “This just came up, unfortunately. It’s the size of the storm that we’re talking about. So for Alabama, please be careful also.”

Despite Trump’s insistence, forecasters stressed that Dorian currently is not expected to pose a threat to Alabama.

“Alabama will NOT see any impacts from #Dorian. We repeat, no impacts from Hurricane #Dorian will be felt across Alabama. The system will remain too far east,” the National Weather Service station in Birmingham tweeted.

Meteorologists and media figures also asserted Dorian is not on a path that would knock Alabama.