Video footage posted by a Twitter user shows Mr Seidel, a meteorologist who has worked for The Weather Channel since 1992, broadcasting from Wilmington in North Carolina, which was being battered by the since-downgraded Hurricane Florence.

Mr Seidel appears to physically brace himself against the dangerous winds, which he describes as "about as nasty as it's been", and sways back and forth while holding the microphone.

The drama of the scene is lessened, however, when the camera pans out and two people walk effortlessly past in the background.

"So dramatic!" said Twitter user @gourdnibler in a post.

"Dude from the weather channel bracing for his life, as 2 dudes just stroll past [sic]. #HurricaneFlorence."

Other Twitter users followed the mocking chorus, with many saying he deserves an Oscar for his performance and suspecting the drama of the scene was at least in part fabricated.

The Weather Channel, in a statement to the American political newspaper The Hill, voiced its support for Mr Seidel, saying that he was standing on wet grass and was "undoubtedly exhausted".

“It’s important to note that the two individuals in the background are walking on concrete, and Mike Seidel is trying to maintain his footing on wet grass, after reporting on-air until 1am this morning and is undoubtedly exhausted,” the network said.

As of Saturday afternoon, the video on Twitter had been viewed more than 9.3 million times and had received more than 115,000 retweets.

It comes amid otherwise serious warnings for residents in North and South Carolina as Hurricane Florence, which was downgraded to a tropical storm on Friday, continues to put properties and lives at risk.

Residents have been warned that they could see further destruction through flooding and landslides in the coming hours, as the death toll reaches five people on Saturday.

Conditions are expected to slowly improve, although it is unclear when.