President Donald Trump has nominated Neil Jacobs to head the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, selecting the man who served as acting NOAA chief in 2019 during the “Sharpiegate” scandal. Jacobs led the agency when Trump altered a hurricane impact map, following a dispute with Alabama meteorologists over storm warnings. The incident was investigated by the Department of Commerce inspector general, leading to criticism of Jacobs and his superiors.
NOAA oversees various services including the National Weather Service and National Marine Fisheries Service. The agency was also a target in Project 2025, a conservative initiative aimed at reforming federal agencies. Jacobs, a scientist at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, has experience in combining computer forecasting systems for weather and climate. His appointment was first reported by Axios.
During Hurricane Dorian in 2019, Trump’s tweet about Alabama being impacted by the storm contradicted forecasts by the National Hurricane Center. After the storm passed without affecting Alabama, Trump displayed an altered map to include the state in the storm’s path. This led to a series of political disputes, including early morning communications and conflicting statements from the agency.
Jacobs later expressed gratitude to Birmingham weather forecasters during a meteorologists’ convention in Alabama, emphasizing the non-partisan nature of weather forecasting. He acknowledged the challenges faced during the crisis and sought to reassure the meteorological community.
“I haven’t changed. I’m the same Neil I was last Thursday,” Neil said, referencing the day before the NOAA statement was released. The Commerce Department’s watchdog agency strongly criticized agency and department leaders for their actions during Sharpiegate, stating that they unjustly reprimanded NWS forecasters for fulfilling their duty of issuing a public safety message regarding Hurricane Dorian in response to public inquiries. A 2020 external report by a group of academics also condemned Jacobs for his involvement in the incident. During that time, NOAA’s acting chief scientist, Craig McLean, voiced his disapproval of the lack of consequences for Jacobs and his communications chief. “While there may be reasons to sympathize with the subordinates of overbearing authoritarian figures, I struggle to find any justification for leniency in this situation,” McLean expressed. “If not the highest-ranking individual in NOAA, then who will advocate for the Scientific Integrity of the agency and the trust the public relies on in our scientific processes and products?” Despite this contentious history, Jacobs garnered support recently from several weather professionals at the American Meteorological Society gathering in New Orleans. They indicated to The Associated Press their desire for Trump to reinstate Jacobs as the head of NOAA, especially in comparison to other potential candidates. “I believe the appointment of Neil Jacobs is a solid choice,” remarked Victor Gensini, a meteorology professor at Northern Illinois University. Jacobs was present at the convention as well. During a session discussing his primary project – the unified weather forecast system – he shared with fellow meteorologists his experience of testifying at a congressional hearing a few years earlier regarding a bill reauthorizing NOAA. Jacobs recalled bipartisan backing for the meteorologists’ work during the hearing. “All they did was praise how incredible it is, and how vital weather forecasting is for the nation,” Jacobs recounted. “If you read the news and missed that hearing, you wouldn’t think such positive interactions occur in D.C.” The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage is backed by various private foundations. AP is accountable for all content. Explore AP’s guidelines for collaborating with philanthropies, as well as a list of supporters and the diverse coverage areas they fund, at AP.org.
