National Hurricane Center chief shuts down CNN's Don Lemon trying to link Hurricane Ian to climate change

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Acting Director of National Hurricane Center shuts down Don Lemon after linking Hurricane Ian to climate change

NOAA's Jamie Rhome told CNN's Don Lemon on Tuesday that he would "caution against" linking climate change to "any one event," such as Hurricane Ian.

CNN's Don Lemon was shut down by acting director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Hurricane Center on Tuesday after he asked about the effect climate change had on Hurricane Ian. 

Jamie Rhome joined CNN's "Don Lemon Tonight" to talk about Hurricane Ian, which is nearing Florida's cost as it possibly strengthens to a Category 5 storm. 

Lemon noted that meteorologists have said Hurricane Ian could enter "another period of rapid intensification" and asked Rhome what effect climate change had has on the "phenomena." 

"We can come back and talk about climate change at a later time. I want to focus on the here and now. We think the rapid intensification is probably almost done. There could be a little bit more intensification as it's still over the warm waters of the eastern Gulf of Mexico, but I don't think we’re going to get any more rapid intensification," Rhome said. 

"Listen, I’m just trying to get, you said you want to talk about climate change. But what effect does climate change have on this phenomenon that is happening now? Because it seems these storms are intensifying. That’s the question," Lemon asked again. 

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CNN's Don Lemon discusses the latest updates on Hurricane Ian. (Screenshot/CNN/DonLemonTonight)

"I don’t think you can link climate change to any one event. On the whole, on the cumulative, climate change may be making storms worse. But to link it to any one event, I would caution against that," Rhome said. 

Lemon said he grew up in Florida and added that something was making these storms intensify. He asked Rhome about the parts of Florida that weren't going to be taking a "direct hit" from the storm.

"It's really going to be a big event for not just Florida, but also Georgia and South Carolina," Rhome said. 

"Florida’s coastline has been massively developed. Is this impending storm a warning about that, given the strength of the storms that we are now seeing, as I said before, much bigger in intensity than in my 50-something years on this earth growing up on the Gulf Coast?" Lemon followed up.

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A satellite image taken at 12:41 a.m. EDT on Wednesday and provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows Hurricane Ian over the Gulf of Mexico. (NOAA via AP)

Rhome said a lot of people were moving to Florida and added that they don't have a lot of experience with hurricanes. "I'm really worried about them, hoping that they're, rather than try to tackle this one on their own, they're heeding the advice of local officials," he continued. 

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CNN's Don Lemon speaks at Harvard University Kennedy School of Government Institute of Politics in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on Feb. 22, 2019. (Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

CNN announced recently that Lemon would be ending "Don Lemon Tonight" because the anchor is set to move to the network's new morning show.  

Lemon, in addition to Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins, will host CNN's new, "re-imagined" morning program that will replace "New Day."