Slate News What Next: TBD | Rerun: Death of the Weather Forecast?
Jul 4, 2025
Daniel Swain is a weather and climate scientist at the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources. He discusses the severe implications of budget cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Weather Service, emphasizing how these reductions compromise storm prediction and public safety. The conversation highlights the critical role of accurate weather forecasting in various sectors and the importance of public advocacy to secure essential funding for weather services. Swain's insights reveal the urgency of addressing these challenges amid escalating climate extremes.
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Staffing Cuts Hurt Basic Weather Tasks
- The Trump administration's cuts have led to critical understaffing in the National Weather Service across the U.S.
- As a result, essential tasks like weather balloon launches and post-storm surveys are being reduced or eliminated.
Weather Service Porta Potty Anecdote
- At the Paducah, Kentucky Weather Service office, broken plumbing forced meteorologists to use porta potties during a major tornado and flood event.
- This highlights the severe understaffing and infrastructure neglect amid critical weather emergencies.
Policy Blueprint Targets NOAA Cuts
- Project 2025 outlined plans to drastically downsize NOAA, branding it a mouthpiece of the climate alarm industry.
- Current cuts to NOAA and the Weather Service align with this blueprint, threatening critical weather and climate capabilities.