Overview

• Flash floods in Texas Hill Country rose 26 feet in under an hour, killing at least 27 people and leaving dozens more missing
• Texas emergency officials say the National Weather Service underestimated rainfall, with Chief Nim Kidd describing the forecasts as far below what occurred
• Federal staffing cuts since January have cut almost 600 positions at the National Weather Service, undermining its forecasting and warning capabilities
• Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem called the alert system “ancient” and pledged that the administration will renew and modernize the technology
• Persistent vacancies and hiring freezes at NOAA and the National Weather Service have prompted lawmakers like Rep. Jared Huffman to warn that weakened services could cost lives