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3d ago

U.S. Navy Reverses Course, Retains Critical Hurricane and Climate Data Feed Through 2026

Forecaster outcry triggered a reversal that aligned modernization goals with uninterrupted hurricane monitoring coupled with polar observation

FILE - Personnel from Urban Search and Rescue Utah Task Force 1 work in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Oct. 4, 2024, in Erwin, Tenn. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)
FILE - Dustin Holmes, second from right, holds hands with his girlfriend, Hailey Morgan, while returning to their flooded home with her children Aria Skye Hall, 7, right, and Kyle Ross, 4, in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Sept. 27, 2024, in Crystal River, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)
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Overview

  • The U.S. Navy will continue sharing Defense Meteorological Satellite Program microwave data with NOAA until sensors fail or the program formally ends in September 2026.
  • Special Sensor Microwave Imager Sounder observations are vital for diagnosing hurricanes’ internal structure and monitoring polar sea ice, underpinning forecasts and climate research.
  • Defense officials accelerated a planned cutoff from September 2026 to June 30, 2025, citing cybersecurity risks and IT modernization requirements.
  • Warnings that losing half of the microwave data would hinder rapid intensification detection and disrupt long-term environmental records prompted government and scientific partners to demand extensions.
  • With next-generation systems like the Weather System Follow-on Microwave not yet fully available, forecasters remain reliant on aging DMSP satellites operating well past their intended lifespan.