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5d ago

Staffing Shortages at National Weather Service Persist After Deadly Kentucky Tornadoes

The Jackson, Kentucky forecast office, operating with a 31% vacancy rate, relied on emergency staffing to issue life-saving warnings during the May 16 tornado outbreak.

Debris are scattered across the Sunshine Hills neighborhood after a series of tornadoes hit Laurel County, in London, Kentucky, U.S. May 17, 2025. REUTERS/Seth Herald
A destroyed home is seen from above after a severe storm passed through the area, Saturday, May 17, 2025, in London, Kentucky.
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Overview

  • A violent tornado outbreak on May 16 killed at least 23 people in Kentucky, with the highest toll in Pulaski and Laurel Counties, and the death toll is expected to rise.
  • The National Weather Service office in Jackson, Kentucky, mobilized all available staff and neighboring office support to maintain operations despite severe staffing shortages.
  • The Jackson office currently operates with a 31% vacancy rate, part of a broader trend of staffing cuts across 52 of 122 forecast offices nationwide under the Trump administration's efficiency measures.
  • Union officials and NOAA confirmed that staffing shortages did not compromise the accuracy or timeliness of tornado warnings issued during the outbreak.
  • NOAA is offering transfer opportunities for 155 meteorologists to address critical staffing gaps ahead of the upcoming hurricane season.