Marketplace All-in-One Trump cuts and the National Weather Service
Jul 10, 2025
Amy Scott, Senior Correspondent at Marketplace and host of How We Survive, dives into alarming staffing cuts at the National Weather Service and their impact on weather forecasting. She discusses how budget reductions jeopardize public safety and the accuracy of forecasts, especially seen during recent Texas floods. The conversation also covers the risks of privatization and the challenges that climate change poses to reliable predictions. Additionally, Amy highlights the importance of local preparedness and community resilience in the face of increasingly extreme weather.
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Impact of Job Cuts on Weather Service
- The Trump administration's early cuts led to over 4,000 job losses at the National Weather Service.
- Some crucial local forecasting positions in Texas remained vacant during catastrophic flooding.
Critique of Staff Cuts Approach
- Former NWS director Louis Uccellini criticized the arbitrary and uninformed approach to staff cuts.
- He warned that cuts could impair critical coordination with emergency officials during extreme weather.
Staffing Cuts Affect Forecasting
- Nearly 20% staffing reductions at many National Weather Service offices reduced 24-hour operations.
- This led to fewer atmospheric balloon launches, which can diminish forecast accuracy.