NOAA Weather Balloon Cuts Raise Alarm Over Forecasting Accuracy

Budget-driven staffing reductions have halted or reduced launches at 11 U.S. sites, threatening public safety during severe weather season.

NOAA has reduced or eliminated weather balloon launches at 11 sites, representing about one out of nine U.S. launch locations, due to staffing shortages caused by recent job cuts.
Meteorologists warn that the reductions will degrade the accuracy of weather forecasts, particularly during the critical spring severe weather season when tornado outbreaks are common.
Weather balloons provide unique atmospheric data essential for forecasting severe storms, filling gaps that satellites and ground-based systems cannot cover.
The affected sites are concentrated in northern U.S. regions, where the jet stream drives weather systems, making the data loss especially concerning.
The cuts are part of broader operational challenges at NOAA, including helium shortages and coastal erosion, compounding risks to forecasting capabilities.