Birmingham meteorologist James Spann is calling for “empathy and kindness” on behalf of the families of victims of Texas flooding, after receiving “nasty messages and verbal threats.”

The issue for Spann: Theories that cloud seeding caused the catastrophic flooding that has claimed more than 100 lives, with more than 20 victims still unaccounted for.

In a Facebook post, the ABC 33/40 meteorologist says categorically: “Cloud seeding did not cause last week’s Texas floods.”

“Cloud seeding can only enhance rain from existing clouds by up to 20%—it cannot create massive deluges,” Spann said. “The last reported cloud‑seeding flight by Rainmaker Technology occurred on July 2, over 24 hours before the floods began, and the seeded clouds had already dissipated.”

Cloud seeding has been around for 80 years. It involves dropping tiny particles—usually silver iodide crystals—into clouds to trigger rain or snow. It has been used for many years in Texas to mitigate drought conditions. About 31 million acres of Texas land is affected by cloud seeding programs, according to MYSA.

Rainmaker is one of the companies employed for cloud seeding. Its CEO, Augustus Doricko, stated on social media in response to criticism that the rain had dissipated a day before the flooding began.

“Did Rainmaker conduct any operations that could have impacted the floods? No,” Doricko wrote.

Instead, Spann said the flooding was caused by a stalled weather system, powered by moisture from Tropical Storm Barry, air flowing from the gulf and the terrain in the hill country.

According to the Austin American-Statesman, the U.S. Geological Survey has recorded the Guadalupe River as flooding more than a dozen times since 1978. However, the 2025 has been one of its worst, with the river rising 26 feet in 45 minutes.

“The Texas floods were caused by natural weather dynamics—not human interference or weather modification efforts. It was not caused by Democrats or Republicans,” he said.

“I’m asking that you put the political rhetoric and nonsense conspiracy stuff aside for a while… let these poor families grieve. Consider empathy and kindness.”

President Donald Trump on Monday said the Coast Guard and state first responders have saved more than 850 people from the flooding.