Overview

• Central and South Florida NWS offices operate 20–40% below authorized staffing levels, straining forecast operations.
• Weather balloon launches nationwide have dropped by nearly 20%, reducing upper-atmosphere data critical for storm tracking.
• NOAA’s hurricane hunter aircraft face the likelihood of fewer reconnaissance missions, heightening risks of misjudging storm intensity.
• Roughly 1,000 jobs—about 10% of NOAA’s workforce—were cut in recent weeks under the Department of Government Efficiency’s budget reductions.
• NOAA has initiated short-term Temporary Duty assignments and Reassignment Opportunity Notices to address immediate gaps at field locations.