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4w ago

National Weather Service Faces Staffing Crisis as Hurricane Season Nears

A federal hiring freeze and recent layoffs have forced the agency to reassign NOAA employees to fill 155 critical vacancies, raising concerns over forecast accuracy and emergency preparedness.

This photo taken on May 23, 2014, shows the entrance the National Weather Service monitoring station in Brownsville, Texas, with their Doppler radar tower nearby. (AP Photo/Valley Morning Star, David Pike)
Demonstrators attend rally outside National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration headquarters to oppose the recent worker firings, in Sliver Spring, Maryland, on Monday, March 3, 2025.
National Hurricane Center director Ken Graham prepares for the next televised update on the status of Hurricane Michael, Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018, at the Hurricane Center in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Overview

  • The National Weather Service (NWS) is attempting to fill 155 critical positions through internal reassignments of NOAA employees due to a federal hiring freeze.
  • More than 560 NWS employees have left the agency this year through layoffs, retirements, and other departures, leaving some offices understaffed or without management.
  • Key vacancies include meteorologists, hydrologists, electronics technicians, and physical scientists, with roles spanning locations from Houston to Guam and Alaska.
  • Offices in Houston and Goodland, Kansas, have reduced operations, with Goodland cutting 24/7 staffing, raising concerns about readiness for the June 1 start of hurricane season.
  • NWS officials warn that the staffing shortfall could impact forecast accuracy and emergency response during what is expected to be an active hurricane season.