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The Weather Channel’s Stephanie Abrams assured colleagues and viewers that she and her crew were not hurt after an unnerving close call was caught on camera.
The veteran Weather Channel meteorologist narrowly missed getting hit by debris as she was reporting live from Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino as Hurricane Laura came ashore in Louisiana. Abrams caused concern among viewers as she reported on wind gusts of 100-plus mph, and miraculously averted being struck by the falling debris as the Category 4 storm barreled into the Gulf Coast.
ICYMI: @StephanieAbrams‘ narrow escape during overnight coverage of #HurricaneLaura landfall. pic.twitter.com/SEb6QFA39d
— AMHQ (@AMHQ) August 27, 2020
“We want to make good TV for you guys but we also want to be safe… we want to bring you the shot, but we want to do it safely,” Abrams said as she carefully worked her way down a few steps as the camera rolled.
A few seconds later, she was almost struck by crashing debris which prompted a loud “whoa!” off-camera as Abrams scrambled back up to safety.
“We’re fine, everyone we are fine. We are totally fine, everything is okay,” she said, out of camera view.
“So that’s why we didn’t want to stand far down on the stairs,” she added. “Everyone is 100 percent okay.”
Team @StephanieAbrams live on @weatherchannel as #HurricaneLaura makes its way onshore.@AMHQ @JordanSteele @jademedits @marshall_staton #hurricane #BehindtheScenes pic.twitter.com/SFfufZEw8e
— Matt Saffer (@TheMattSaffer) August 27, 2020
Shortly before Abrams’ close call, her colleague Jim Cantore took an extra precaution by stepping aside to grab a helmet just as he tossed the report over to her.
“I really don’t feel like getting whaled on in the head, so I’m just going to put a helmet on out here since I’m standing out here,” Cantore said.
Cantore is in a bulletproof vest and helmet. He has also stepped in for cover. The wind can be heard howling in Stephanie Abrams live shot. pic.twitter.com/eLuoFrHkuB
— weathergeek (@thewxgeek) August 27, 2020
The Weather Channel provided a dramatic montage of the reporting as the dangerous storm made landfall early Thursday near the Louisiana-Texas border. The storm weakened once onshore as it moved north, leaving a path of destruction in its wake.
WATCH: Jaw-dropping footage from our live crews last night as #Laura made landfall. pic.twitter.com/psxgyM18tl
— The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel) August 27, 2020
Reports emerged Thursday of a hurricane-related fatality as well as more than half a million without power in Texas and Louisiana.
#WhatWeKnow, 10/9c:
1️⃣ The first confirmed fatality from #Laura was unfortunately a 14-year-old girl who died after a tree fell onto her home
2️⃣ More than 600,000 are without power in Louisiana and Texas
3️⃣ Reports will be incoming all day as damage continues to be assessed
— The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel) August 27, 2020
Abrams was praised for her dramatic reporting and the ability to even stay standing as the storm intensified.
You can tell the eyewall is coming into Lake Charles as both Stephanie Abrams and Jim Cantore are having quite the time staying upright #HurricaneLaura #LAwx pic.twitter.com/nU2Tl9aN5P
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) August 27, 2020
Stephanie Abrams took her ballcap off and this was definitely the strongest gust we’ve seen on-air. She was definitely knocked off her bearings a few times in trying to stay upright. Massive kudos to her for not falling down. I know I would be knocked down. #HurricaneLaura #LAwx pic.twitter.com/TbAOMKcbDx
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) August 27, 2020
Abrams and her crew eventually moved inside the building lobby where she continued reporting. But her earlier reports bracing against the pummeling rain and wind in Lake Charles, where a wind gust of 128 mph was reported at the airport just before 1:30 a.m., alarmed many viewers who took to social media to express their concerns.
I can’t go to bed because I’m worried that @StephanieAbrams will blow away. #HurricanLaura pic.twitter.com/llYUAIJQGj
— Sir Tugboat (@Oh__Cleveland) August 27, 2020
Stephanie Abrams is about to blow away. #HurricaneLaura
— JBTheExplorer (@ExplorerJB) August 27, 2020
Stephanie plz pic.twitter.com/IP18hJ1pfZ
— Sports Nuts (@SportsNuts6) August 27, 2020
I really thought she was headed off the screen 😬
— 𝕸𝖊𝖑𝖎𝖘𝖘𝖆 (@smalltwnctrygrl) August 27, 2020
Get @StephanieAbrams OUT of there!! How do you guys tell people to hunker down, evacuate and stay safe- and she’s literally about to recreate the barn scene from Twister!! 🤨
— eyeamsushmita (@eyeamsushmita) August 27, 2020
The Weather Channel responded to the worried tweets with a thanks to all the viewers and reassurance that the safety of their crews is always a priority.
Thank you to everyone concerned with the wellbeing of our crews. Their safety is ALWAYS our top priority! They are strategically positioned right outside of a reliable shelter that they can move into when conditions are no longer sustainable for their live TV coverage.
— The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel) August 27, 2020
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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