MIAMI – A fake graphic showing the forecasted path of Hurricane Irma heading straight towards Houston has unfortunately been circulating throughout the Internet.
PHOTOS: Houston Harvey hoaxes explained
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While the Houston area is still dealing with the after effects of Harvey and residents prepare for a long recovery, many were worried about the potential impact of Irma.
The fake image posted Thursday showed Irma making a beeline for the Texas coast, with the false warning of "She’s predicted to come through mexico hit us and everything inbetween up to Houston. Shes already a Category 2 and hasn't even got into warm water yet.”
The counterfeit image even uses the logo of the NOAA, which is illegal.
According to WREG, a message on the website of theCornell Law School states the following:
Whoever knowingly issues or publishes any counterfeit weather forecast or warning of weather conditions falsely representing such forecast or warning to have been issued or published by the Weather Bureau, United States Signal Service, or other branch of the Government service, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ninety days, or both.
While Irma is a strong storm and expected to get stronger, the system is still too far out to guarantee which path it will take.
