Just as we enter severe weather season the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has fired more than 880 employees. The loss of expertise and manpower is fueling uncertainty whether this will affect the accuracy of forecasting and weather warnings. As Texas Public Radio reports, the job cuts include meteorologists from the National Weather Service.
A former head of research at NOAA, Craig McLean, cautions that these firings could result in greater risk for Texans, especially with the approach of the 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season, which runs from June 1 to November 30. “When the system is stressed, the quality of those forecasts is then put in jeopardy, and the ability of the public to take early and appropriate action will be compromised.”
McLean believes the agency will be subjected to more cuts further down the line. The layoffs come amid a broader wave of federal job cuts, intended to improve government efficiency, according to President Trump.
Mass Firings of Federal Workforce Hit NOAA, Fueling Concerns
