Overview

• Trump administration budget cuts directed by DOGE under Elon Musk have eliminated over 1,000 NOAA jobs since January, amounting to a 10% workforce reduction.
• More than a third of National Weather Service field offices are critically understaffed, with Central and South Florida sites reporting 20–40% staffing gaps.
• Weather balloon launches have fallen nearly 20%, undermining the data collection needed for reliable storm tracking and prediction.
• NOAA’s hurricane hunter aircraft operations were initially suspended due to personnel cuts, but recent restorations aim to resume essential reconnaissance flights.
• The National Hurricane Center says it has enough forecasters for mission-critical shifts while NWS deploys temporary assignments and reassignment notices to stabilize operations.