NOAA/NWS Budget Cuts

[Mike S]

I'm creating this thread to separate this particular discussion from the general political discussion. It is a very emotional topic and has invited folks into this section of Talkweather who usually prefer to avoid these kinds of discussions. Out of respect, I feel like it is a good idea to separate this discussion from the other typical political mudslinging that may happen in a politics thread.

And be nice.

 

[UK_EF4]

 

[notsoencrypted]

Here's a direct link to the Colorado Sun article mentioned above.

Mass firings of probationary federal workers begin at NOAA, including many in Boulder

Employees received emails Thursday informing them of their abrupt termination, despite a U.S. District Court ruling calling such firings’ legality into question

coloradosun.com

 

[Clancy]

What it looks like currently when you visit NOAA's External Affairs webpage.

 

[UK_EF4]

This has the potential to be catastrophic. I am in disbelief in what the current government are doing to the NOAA.

 

[Clancy]

This has the potential to be catastrophic. I am in disbelief in what the current government are doing to the NOAA.

Saw they were doing this with other agency offices, didn't know they were doing it to NOAA. Even if some of these subdivisions were to need to move office just because of aging infrastructure or something, carrying over all the data would be an absolute nightmare, being forced to do it under these circumstances makes it that much worse.

 

[Evan]

https://www.axios.com/2025/03/03/doge-noaa-weather-building-leases-trump

 

[slenker]

The extraordinarily heavy cutting involving all things science is completely and utterly absurd. This move would be disastrous in so many ways. What a complete mess this country is already in.

 

[MMWX (FKA TornadoFan17)]

Recently applied for an NWS pathways internship.

Before they could even figure out who to award it to, I got an email today saying that the whole program has been shut down.

 

[Clancy]

Recently applied for an NWS pathways internship.

Before they could even figure out who to award it to, I got an email today saying that the whole program has been shut down.

I'm so sorry! A lot of meteorology folks hurting from it all right now.

 

[MMWX (FKA TornadoFan17)]

I'm so sorry! A lot of meteorology folks hurting from it all right now.

I luckily have been interning for a company in the private sector, so I'll be okay. I'll just keep doing what I've been doing. I already have something to add to the resume.

But Pathways was paid, and it's a foot in the door for an NWS job down the line.

Just a rough time to be entering this field.

 

[Clancy]

Looks like the NOAA offices are one of 400+ buildings being auctioned off as part of the "non-core property" list.

Non-core property list

Learn about our lease cost avoidance plan and its successes.

www.gsa.gov

 

[Clancy]

As of today, over a dozen WFOs around the country are without either a Met-in-charge (MIC) or Warning Coordination Meteorologist (WCM), or in the case of Houston's office, both, due to budget cuts, attendant firings and personnel shifts. Anyone familiar with the operations of local forecast offices understands the impact to critical decision-making lacking a WCM or MIC has on providing timely services to a WFO's jurisdiction, a staffing gap that could prove dangerous or deadly in the wrong place and time.

https://www.weather.gov/media/nws/wcm-soo.pdf

 

[JBishopwx]

 

[172556]

I didn't see this posted, hopefully they're among those called back.

NOAA only staffs 8 flight directors for the Hurricane Hunters program to operate 24/7. Two of them were let go in probationary period.

Federal cuts hit hurricane hunters, experts warn of impact to forecasts

A retired NOAA leader told WWL Louisiana 2 flight directors with the Hurricane Hunters had been fired as part of sweeping federal cuts.

www.wwltv.com

 

[Clancy]

Firings are set to continue, despite limited reinstatement of some staff. 1,000+ employees on the chopping block.

Another source confirmed the 1,029 cuts to The Hill. They come after hundreds of other employees were recently fired. The agency had a total of about 13,000 staffers prior to the firings, meaning the total cuts could be about 15 percent of its staff.

That source said that offices within NOAA have been asked to cut entire agency functions rather than slash a portion of the people who do similar work. Managers will have until midday Tuesday to propose the cuts, which will later be reviewed by NOAA leadership and the Department of Commerce.

NOAA set to fire 1,029 more employees

Staffing levels at the nation’s already hobbled weather, climate and oceans agency could take a further nosedive in the days ahead. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) …

thehill.com

 

[Mike S]

I wonder how many of these offices that are dealing with multiple warnings tonight are working short staffed compared to a month ago

 

[akt1985]

Since we are in the middle of our first severe weather outbreak since the NWS budget cuts were announced, how well do you think the NWS WFOs handled the event? I think they did a great job getting the warnings out in a timely manner despite the staff cuts.

 

[Blountwolf]

NOAA's Storm Prediction Center facility among planned DOGE cuts

A core government facility tracking severe thunderstorms and tornadoes is listed on the DOGE website as a planned office closure.

abcnews.go.com

 

[Clancy]

WFOs for Rapid City and Omaha are suspending balloon launches because of staff shortages.

https://www.weather.gov/media/notification/pdf_2025/pns25-17_Suspension_RAOB_Launches_OAX-UNR.pdf

https://www.weather.gov/media/notification/pdf_2025/pns25-18_Reduction_RAOB_Launches_ABR_GJT_GRB_APX_LBF_RIW.pdf