Miami Chief Meteorologist Warns Viewers Trump's Cuts Could Affect Their Safety
Morales said that the 'sledgehammer attacks on science' and cuts at the National Weather Service (NWS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) would mean he wouldn't be able to accurately predict hurricanes.
Urging the Miami NBC owned station's viewers to call their Senators to stop the cuts, Morales said the cuts could have a "a multigenerational impact on science in this country.'
In his blog post on the station website, Morales said the cuts come at a bad time for coastal dwellers, 'Never have we faced the combustible mix of a lack of meteorological data and the less accurate forecasts that follow, with an elevated propensity for the rapidly intensifying hurricanes of the manmade climate change era.'
Am I worried? You bet I am! And so are hundreds of other scientists, including all living former U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) directors, who fear a "needless loss of life" as a result of the loss of staff and resources at NWS brought on since January.
Central and southern Florida's NWS offices are currently 19 to 39 percent understaffed. While that might be barely enough on a sunny day, long stretches of impending severe weather-like a hurricane-could lead to mistakes by tired skeleton crews can only work so many back-to-back shifts. Across the country, less data is being collected by fewer weather balloon launches as a result of the staff shortages.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) isn't facing such a severe scarcity of employees. But there are critical departments linked to NHC's mission that have been seriously impacted. Namely, NOAA's Hurricane Hunters saw two flight directors and one electronic engineer terminated in late February.
Hurricane flights also include the Air Force 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron. But should NOAA be unable to fly as many missions, there is a real risk of hurricane specialists occasionally "flying blind.'Morales started his career at WLTV in Miami, where he served as chief meteorologist from 1991 through 2002. From 2003 through 2008 he served as chief meteorologist for WSCV Telemundo 51. While there, he became the first Latino to substitute as meteorologist on NBC's Weekend Today show, and did so multiple times. In 2009, Morales became chief meteorologist for NBC's Miami station WTVJ.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Boston Globe
23 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
Here's what to do if you're caught in a rip current
What is a rip current? Rip currents, sometimes mistakenly called riptides or undertow, are powerful, narrow channels of water that flow away from the beach and often extend through the breaker zone where waves form, according to the National Weather Service. Advertisement Rip currents typically form at breaks in sandbars and near structures, such as jetties and piers. They are commonly found on all surf beaches or any beach with breaking waves, including Great Lakes beaches. The speed of the outbound currents can exceed 6 miles per hour, which is faster than some Olympic swimmers, according to weather officials. How to spot a rip current Rip currents can be difficult to identify, especially from ground level and especially on days when the surf is extremely rough. They can emerge on sunny or overcast days, and can quickly sweep even the strongest swimmer out to sea. Storms brewing far out at sea can cause dangerous rip currents to be created along the shore, where conditions can be tranquil. Advertisement 'Unlike large crashing waves, you probably won't notice that you're in a rip current until you're in the middle of it,' the National Weather Service says. So here are some clues on spotting them: • Water in rip currents will often appear darker and calmer than the rest of the water surrounding it. • Rip currents can be very narrow or more than 100 yards wide. • Because the currents carry sand and sometimes seaweed and other debris away from the beach with them, rip currents can appear murky or dirty compared with the water around it. • A line of sea foam, seaweed, or debris may also extend farther out into the surf in a rip current. • Areas where waves do not break can also signal a rip current. Look for a break in the incoming wave pattern. Wendy Carey/Delaware Sea Grant/NOAA Look for an area having a notable difference in water color. Wendy Carey/Delaware Sea Grant/NOAA What to do if you're caught in a rip current • Swimmers should never try to fight a rip current, experts say. It is very difficult to outswim one. Most rip current fatalities occur because the victim becomes exhausted trying to swim against the current. Rather, swim out of the current parallel to the shoreline before turning back, swimming at an angle toward the shore. Think of it like a treadmill that cannot be turned off, which you need to step to the side of, according to the NWS. How to navigate a rip current should you find yourself caught in one. Boston Globe • Swimming toward where there is white water from breaking waves is also recommended, because that usually means there is a sandbar nearby. • If you are unable to swim out of the current or are tired, you might be able to escape by floating or treading water, then swim toward shore. • If that does not work or if you are feeling too tired and need help, draw attention to yourself by yelling and waving your arms for assistance. Advertisement Should I help someone in distress in the water? Experts say do not attempt to save someone yourself without first having a flotation device with you. Many people have died trying to rescue rip current victims. If you don't have a flotation device, you can always try to reach out to them, or throw something to them, or row out to them in a boat. Remember the saying, 'Reach, throw, row, but never go.' Or, bring the situation to the attention of a lifeguard right away. If a lifeguard is not present, call 911, then try to direct the person to swim following the shoreline to escape. Preferably, don't reach out to them with your hand. Throw objects their way. If no life jacket is available, grab something like a towel, shirt, cooler, or an inflatable ball. 'Never go [in the water to save someone] unless you are trained in life-saving techniques because they will most likely take you down,' said B.J. Fisher, a trained lifeguard of nearly 55 years and director of health and safety at the Material from previous Globe stories was used in this report. Marianne Mizera can be reached at
Los Angeles Times
23 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
Metro bus ridership continues to dip. Are fears over ICE raids partly to blame?
Ridership across Metro's transit system plunged in June after federal immigration authorities conducted dramatic raids across Los Angeles County, sowing fear among many rail and bus riders. Last month, the transit agency's passenger numbers on buses continued to dip, although the reasons are not fully clear. Ridership on rail crept up roughly 6.5% in July after a decrease of more than 3.7 million boardings across the rail and bus system the month before. Bus ridership accounted for the bulk of the June hit, with a ridership drop of more than 3.1 million from May. In July, bus boardings continued to decrease slightly by nearly 2%. While it's possible that concerns over safety have persisted as immigration raids continued to play out in the Los Angeles region, a drop in bus ridership from June to July in years past has not been uncommon, according to Metro data. A review of the number of boardings from 2018 shows routine dips in bus ridership during the summer months. The agency said 'there is a seasonal pattern to ridership and historically bus ridership is lower in July than June when schools and colleges are not in regular session and people are more likely to take time off from work.' June saw a roughly 13.5% decline from the month before — the lowest June on record since 2022, when boardings had begun to climb again after the pandemic. The reduction in passengers was not felt along every rail line and bus route. Metro chief executive Stephanie Wiggins noted during a board of directors meeting last month that the K Line saw a 140% surge in weekday ridership in June and a roughly 200% increase in weekend ridership after the opening of the LAX/Metro Transit Center. Metro has struggled with ridership in recent years, first when the pandemic shuttered transit and then when a spate of violence on rail and buses shook trust in the system. Those numbers started to rebound this year and before June's drop, had reached 90% of pre-pandemic counts. But financial challenges have continued. Metro, which recently approved a $9.4 billion budget, faces a deficit of more than $2.3 billion through 2030. And federal funding for its major Olympics and Paralympics transportation plan to lease thousands of buses remains in flux. Maintaining ridership growth is critical for the the agency. More than 60% of Metro bus riders and roughly 50% of its rail riders are Latino, according to a 2023 Metro survey. The decline in June's ridership was due in part to growing concerns that transit riders would be swept up in immigration raids. Those fears were magnified when a widely shared video showed several residents apprehended at a bus stop in Pasadena. Three of the men who were arrested at the stop by federal agents are plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the Trump administration. They spoke earlier this month at a news conference in favor of the 9th U.S. Court of Appeals decision to uphold a temporary restraining order against the immigration stops and arrests. Pedro Vasquez Perdomo, a day laborer, said he was taken by unidentified men while waiting at the bus stop to go to work like he did every day. He said that he was placed in a small space without access to a bathroom or adequate food, water and medicine. Vasquez Perdomo said the experience 'changed my life forever' and called for 'justice.' Closures at stations during the raids and D Line construction beneath Wilshire Boulevard also affected June's numbers, according to Metro officials.
Miami Herald
an hour ago
- Miami Herald
Ex-Miami NOAA scientist warns of seafood, storm risks from federal cuts
If you live in Florida and love seafood, here's something you should know: U.S.-caught seafood is among the most sustainable in the world. That's not by accident — it's the result of decades of science-based fisheries management. But now, the science behind that success is under threat by federal cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The proposed 2026 budget for NOAA includes significant cuts, primarily targeting research and climate-related programs. Gutting NOAA's science programs threatens America's seafood supply, hurricane preparedness and coastal economies — a reckless move that weakens our nation's safety, food security and global leadership. First, let me address our fish supply. By congressional mandate, the Magnuson-Stevens Act requires that U.S. fisheries stocks are healthy as evaluated by the best available science. Since the nation implemented science-based fishery management plans, more than 50 fish stocks have been rebuilt. Today, 94% of U.S. federally managed stocks are not overfished, generating over $320 billion per year. Meanwhile, many fisheries around the globe are in decline or have collapsed. Due to this success, the U.S. is recognized as a global leader in maintaining sustainable fisheries. Our management system relies on rigorous stock assessments that quantify fisheries populations. These critical evaluations for fisheries, marine habitats and protected species are conducted by scientists at NOAA. This loss of expertise threatens the health of American seafood production, potentially increasing reliance on foreign imports. I'm a former NOAA fishery scientist in Miami, assigned to the Southeast Fisheries Science Center. In February, I was fired along with over 880 new, 'probationary' employees. My job was to support fishery management councils in the South Atlantic, Gulf and U.S. Caribbean. We worked hand-in-hand with fishermen, managers and local communities to improve ecosystem-based management of our fish stocks. Our research directly aligned with the April 2025 Executive Order calling for the modernization of fisheries data and management in response to real-time ocean conditions. America invested in scientists like me. My doctorate was funded by a competitive National Science Foundation fellowship. I was proud to give back as a federal scientist. Today, among my four part-time and consulting jobs, I sell frozen chocolate bananas on the beach in Jacksonville Beach. That cannot be the best return on taxpayer investment. But this isn't just about me — or even just fisheries. NOAA's ocean services are at risk. These support navigation safety, predicting coastal flooding, tracking water quality, managing harmful algal blooms and combating invasive species. Cuts at NOAA's Ocean Service will reduce capacity for ecosystem monitoring, coral restoration and navigation safety improvements. The National Weather Service is also at risk. It's not just about losing meteorologists; it's about losing the data and research enterprises that underpin weather forecasting. NOAA satellite programs provide high-resolution data on atmospheric and ocean conditions to inform daily simulations run on NOAA supercomputers. Fortunately, some meteorologists are being hired back. These efforts have drastically improved predictions of hurricane tracks and intensification. Today, NOAA's five-day hurricane forecasts are as accurate as its one-day forecasts were when Hurricane Andrew hit Miami in 1992. Some cuts seek to dissolve the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research. Losing research enterprises will result in data gaps and less timely forecasts. If you're concerned, contact your congressional representative. Tell them to provide NOAA with the resources it needs and to value NOAA scientists for the service they provide to our country. Holden Earl Harris was a research fishery biologist with NOAA's Southeast Fisheries Science Center in Miami.
