Impact of Budget Cuts on Weather Forecasting and Public Safety

The National Weather Service lost some 600 positions early in the second Trump administration, through early retirements and layoffs. Now the agency says it’s working to fill some “mission-critical” roles. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has also proposed cutting the greater NOAA budget by more than 25% next year.

A rising chorus of meteorologists and climate experts warn that efforts to shrink the federal workforce and downplay global warming could compromise accurate weather forecasts and climate monitoring.