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13h ago

DoD Cuts Key Microwave Satellite Data for Hurricane Forecasts

Officials cite cybersecurity concerns for the cutoff, leaving forecasters without a replacement for critical storm monitoring

FILE - Debris is strewn on the lake in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Oct. 2, 2024, in Lake Lure, N.C. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart, File)
Image
FILE - A property owner, who preferred not to give his name, peers into the remains of the second floor unit where he lived with his wife while renting out the other units, on Manasota Key, in Englewood, Fla., following the passage of Hurricane Milton, Oct. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, File)
FILE - A collapsed building is visible after Hurricane Milton, on Manasota Key, Fla., Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, File)

Overview

  • The DoD will end ingestion and distribution of SSMIS microwave data from three Defense Meteorological Satellite Program satellites (F-16, F-17 and F-18) by June 30, NOAA announced.
  • NOAA spokesperson Kim Doster described the termination as a routine data rotation, but meteorologists warn the move will halve microwave scans and degrade storm intensity forecasts.
  • Hurricane specialist Michael Lowry and retired NHC branch chief James Franklin caution that missing microwave imagery increases the risk of ‘sunrise surprises’ and underestimating rapid intensification.
  • The Navy’s Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center cited cybersecurity vulnerabilities in an 'end-of-life' operating system as the reason for pulling the data with no upgrade path.
  • With the WSF-M replacement not yet operational and alternative sources limited, the National Hurricane Center is preparing for reduced forecast accuracy and shorter lead times.