logo
NOAA's vast public weather data powers the local forecasts on your phone and TV – a private company alone couldn't match it

NOAA's vast public weather data powers the local forecasts on your phone and TV – a private company alone couldn't match it

Yahoo11-02-2025

When a hurricane or tornado starts to form, your local weather forecasters can quickly pull up maps tracking its movement and showing where it's headed. But have you ever wondered where they get all that information?
The forecasts can seem effortless, but behind the scenes, a vast network of satellites, airplanes, radar, computer models and weather analysts are providing access to the latest data – and warnings when necessary. This data comes from analysts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, known as NOAA, and its National Weather Service.
Atmospheric scientists Christine Wiedinmyer and Kari Bowen, who is a former National Weather Service forecaster, explained NOAA's central role in most U.S. weather forecasts.
A lot of the weather information Americans rely on starts with real-time data collected by NOAA satellites, airplanes, weather balloons, radar and maritime buoys, as well as weather stations around the world.
All of that information goes into the agency's computers, which process the data to begin defining what's going on in different parts of the atmosphere.
NOAA forecasters use computer models that simulate physics and the behavior of the atmosphere, along with their own experience and local knowledge, to start to paint a picture of the weather – what's coming in a few minutes or hours or days. They also use that data to project seasonal conditions out over weeks or months.
When severe weather is on the way, the agency issues the official alerts you'll see in the news and on your phone.
All of this analysis happens before the information reaches private weather apps and TV stations.
No matter who you are, you can freely access that data and the analyses. In fact, a large number of private companies use NOAA data to create fancy maps and other weather products that they sell.
It would be extremely difficult to do all of that without NOAA.
The agency operates a fleet of 18 satellites that are packed with instruments dedicated to observing weather phenomena essential to predicting the weather, from how hot the land surface is to the water content of the atmosphere. Some are geostationary satellites which sit high above different parts of the U.S. measuring weather conditions 24/7. Others orbit the planet. Many of these are operated as part of partnerships with NASA or the Air Force.
Some private companies are starting to invest in satellites, but it would take an enormous amount of money to replicate the range of instrumentation and coverage that NOAA has in place. Satellites only last so long and take time to build, so NOAA is continually planning for the future, and using its technical expertise to develop new instruments and computer algorithms to interpret the data.
Maritime buoys are another measuring system that would be difficult to replicate. Over 1,300 buoys across oceans around the world measure water temperature, wind and wave height – all of which are essential for coastal warnings, as well as long-term forecasts.
Weather observation has been around a long time. President Ulysses S. Grant created the first national weather service in the War Department in 1870. It became a civilian service in 1880 under the Department of Agriculture and is now in the Commerce Department. The information its scientists and technologists produce is essential for safety and also benefits people and industries in a lot of ways.
It would be difficult for one company to provide comprehensive weather data in a reliable way that is also accessible to the entire public.
Some companies might be able to launch their own satellite, but one satellite only gives you part of the picture. NOAA's weather observation network has been around for a long time and collects data from points all over the U.S. and the oceans. Without that robust data, computer models and the broad network of forecasters and developers, forecasting also becomes less reliable.
Analyzing that data is also complex. You're not going to be able to take satellite data, run a model on a standard laptop and suddenly have a forecast.
And there's a question of whether a private company would want to take on the legal risk of being responsible for the nation's forecasts and severe weather warnings.
NOAA is taxpayer-funded, so it is a public good – its services provide safety and security for everyone, not just those who can pay for it.
If weather data was only available at a price, one town might be able to afford the weather information necessary to protect its residents, while a smaller town or a rural area across the state might not. If you're in a tornado-prone area or coastal zone, that information can be the difference between life or death.
The Earth's systems – its land, water and the atmosphere – are changing, and we have to be able to assess how those changes will impact weather tomorrow, in two weeks and far into the future.
Rising global temperatures affect weather patterns. Dryness can fuel wildfires. Forecasts have to take the changing climate into account to be accurate, no matter who is creating the forecast.
Drought is an example. The dryness of the Earth controls how much water gets exchanged with the atmosphere to form clouds and rainfall. To have an accurate weather prediction, we need to know how dry things are at the surface and how that has changed over time. That requires long-term climate information.
NOAA partners with private sector, academia, nonprofits and many others around the world to ensure that everyone has the best information to produce the most robust weather forecasts. Private weather companies and media also play important roles in getting those forecasts and alerts out more widely to the public.
A lot of businesses rely on accuracy from NOAA's weather data and forecasts: aviation, energy companies, insurance, even modern tractors' precision farming equipment. The agency's long-range forecasts are essential for managing state reservoirs to ensure enough water is saved and to avoid flooding.
The government agency can be held accountable in a way private businesses are not because it answers to Congress. So, the data is trustworthy, accessible and developed with the goal to protect public safety and property for everyone. Could the same be said if only for-profit companies were producing that data?
This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Christine Wiedinmyer, University of Colorado Boulder and Kari Bowen, University of Colorado Boulder
Read more:
Hurricane hunters fly through extreme storms to forecast intensity – here's what happens when the plane plunges into the eyewall
AI and machine learning are improving weather forecasts, but they won't replace human experts
If FEMA didn't exist, could states handle the disaster response alone?
Christine Wiedinmyer is the CIRES Associate Director for Science. CIRES is a CU Boulder research institute that has a cooperative agreement (grant) with NOAA called the Cooperative Institute for Earth Systems Research and Data Science, CIESRDS. Wiedinmyer's funding is primarily from NOAA, which supports more than 400 CIRES CU Boulder employees.
Kari Bowen is the Science and Administration Manager. CIRES is a CU Boulder research institute with a cooperative agreement (grant) with NOAA called the Cooperative Institute for Earth Systems Research and Data Science, CIESRDS. Bowen's funding is from NOAA, which supports more than 400 CIRES CU Boulder employees.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Staff vacancies hit Texas weather offices as they brace for a busy hurricane season
Staff vacancies hit Texas weather offices as they brace for a busy hurricane season

Yahoo

time24 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Staff vacancies hit Texas weather offices as they brace for a busy hurricane season

FORT WORTH — With hurricane season underway and an above-normal activity forecast, some National Weather Service offices like Houston — where as many as 44% of positions are vacant — are operating with staff shortages, prompting concerns about their capacity to monitor future storms. The shortages stem from federal cuts that slashed roughly 10% of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's workforce and triggered a wave of early retirements. While no staff members from the Houston/Galveston office were laid off, several hundred employees at NOAA, which hosts the National Weather Service, took a voluntary early retirement package. Among those stepping down: Jeff Evans, longtime meteorologist-in-charge in Houston, who retired after 34 years with the NWS, 10 of those in Texas. He told KPRC Click2Houston that it was 'an honor and a privilege' to serve Texas through countless disasters. The Houston office has 11 vacancies — 44% of its regular staffing. The NWS provides weather warnings for tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires and floods, and produces river and hydrological outlooks and long-term climate change data. It serves as the forecast of record for many, including TV meteorologists, journalists and researchers, as well as emergency managers, who use it to plan for potential evacuations and rescue coordination during extreme weather events. Mark Fox, who usually works at the Oklahoma office, has stepped in to help as acting meteorologist-in-charge in Houston. Despite the strain, Fox and other local meteorologists say they're committed to delivering life-saving forecasts and supporting emergency preparedness. 'We can continue 24/7 with the staff that we have,' Fox said. 'If we need to augment staff to kind of help out and give some people a break, we can do that. But the mission is going to be fulfilled.' Hurricane season started June 1 and goes to November 30. NWS forecasters predict an above-normal hurricane season, citing warm Atlantic waters and weak wind shear, which are changes in the wind's speed and direction. The agency forecasts 13 to 19 named storms, three to five of which could become Category 3 or higher hurricanes with wind speeds of at least 111 miles per hour. For context, last year's forecast included 17 to 25 named storms and the season saw 18 named storms, 11 of which were hurricanes. Among them were Tropical Storm Alberto and Hurricane Beryl — a Category 1 that left millions of Texans without electricity for days. NOAA defines an average Atlantic hurricane season as one with 14 named storms, of which three are stronger hurricanes, based on data from 1991 to 2020. NOAA has a 70% confidence level in these predictions and warns that the peak of the season — typically late August through October — could be intense. The West African Monsoon, a key hurricane trigger, is also expected to be stronger than usual. However, Fox says, this isn't just about numbers. It's about readiness. 'It only takes one,' Fox said. 'We'll be watching the skies from here until the end of the season, and take whatever Mother Nature throws at us.' Since the start of the year, the National Weather Service has lost nearly 600 employees due to cuts ordered by the Department of Government Efficiency under the Trump administration. After backlash, earlier this month, 126 positions, including 'mission-critical' ones, were approved for hire as exceptions to a federal hiring freeze. Erica Grow Cei, a National Weather Service spokesperson, said these were approved to 'stabilize frontline operations' and added that the new hires will fill positions at field offices where there's "the greatest operational need." The nearly 600 employees that NWS has lost in the last six months has been about the same amount the agency lost in the 15 years prior, according to Tom Fahy, the legislative director for the National Weather Service Employees Organization, a union that represents weather service employees. Fahy called the quick exodus unprecedented, saying it "definitely disrupts the entire staffing requirements for the National Weather Service" in a way previous reductions did not. Jeff Masters, former NOAA Hurricane Hunter and a meteorologist who writes about extreme weather for Yale Climate Connections, says most of those roles won't be filled in time to help this hurricane season. 'This was done very inefficiently,' Masters said. 'First, all of the probationary employees were fired, then incentives were given to get the most experienced managers out through early retirement. Now they're trying to do some rehiring, and then it's just not being done very efficiently.' Masters said that the local offices have lost critical institutional knowledge and expertise. Nationwide, reduced staffing has also meant fewer balloon launches, which are essential for collecting upper-atmosphere temperature, humidity and wind speed data critical to accurate storm modeling. A reduction in launches may lead to larger errors in hurricane tracking, says Masters. Faced with these gaps, offices across the country are lending staff — either in person or virtually — to ensure continuous coverage during major weather events. Fahy said that this is what will keep Texas as whole 'in very good shape and ready for hurricane season.' 'It's kind of like binding hands and helping each other out wherever we can,' said Jason Johnson, hydrologist in charge at the NWS Fort Worth office. 'We've expanded our training so meteorologists and hydrologists in other regions are ready to support us if needed.' Despite the cuts, Johnson says Texas NWS offices remain focused on protecting lives and property. 'We're not expecting any drop in the quality or quantity of information that we provide,' he said. Local officials are also stepping up their preparation efforts. 'Now more than ever, local preparation is key,' said Harris County Commissioner Lesley Briones, who represents portions of Houston, Katy, Stafford, Tomball and Waller, at a press conference. 'With drastic cuts… what we do here at home in Houston and Harris County is extra important.' Her office is hosting 11 hurricane preparedness workshops and has distributed hundreds of portable air conditioners, emergency kits, and bottled water. They also plan to clear more than 7 million feet of ditches to prevent urban flooding. 'We can't wait,' Briones said. 'So local government, with our nonprofit community, with our private sector, with our places of worship, our schools, this is up to all of us.' Meteorologists and emergency officials alike urge residents to stay informed, prepare emergency kits, and heed evacuation orders if issued. 'It's your responsibility to monitor the weather,' Fox, the meteorologist at the Houston office, said. 'On a beautiful day, just think about your plan — because when the time comes to act, it's too late to start planning.' Big news: 20 more speakers join the TribFest lineup! New additions include Margaret Spellings, former U.S. secretary of education and CEO of the Bipartisan Policy Center; Michael Curry, former presiding bishop and primate of The Episcopal Church; Beto O'Rourke, former U.S. Representative, D-El Paso; Joe Lonsdale, entrepreneur, founder and managing partner at 8VC; and Katie Phang, journalist and trial lawyer. Get tickets. TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase.

Severe weather, flooding threaten millions from Gulf Coast to Northeast
Severe weather, flooding threaten millions from Gulf Coast to Northeast

Yahoo

time39 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Severe weather, flooding threaten millions from Gulf Coast to Northeast

A new workweek is ushering in a new severe weather threat for millions of Americans from the Gulf Coast in the Southeast northward into New York state in the Northeast. It's been a wild few days in terms of severe weather impacts, including deadly storms that tore across portions of Mississippi and Georgia over the weekend, and a reported tornado that tore through an Oklahoma city last week. And on Sunday, Texas was hammered by powerful storms producing 100-mph wind gusts and grapefruit-sized hail. There were also reports of possible tornadoes in Virginia on Sunday. How To Watch Fox Weather On the heels of another wet weekend in the Northeast, another area of low pressure will strengthen as it sweeps across Canada and moves off to the east as we enter into the new workweek. The cold front associated with the system will stretch across the Midwest and eventually push into the Northeast on Monday. The stronger front will move through the Great Lakes and into the Northeast, bringing more chances of rain and some strong to severe thunderstorms. The FOX Forecast Center said the main threat from storms that develop will be damaging wind gusts, but a tornado can't be ruled out in parts of the Ohio Valley and Northeast. Download The Free Fox Weather App Strong to severe thunderstorms are also possible across the Southeast on Monday, putting millions of people from the Gulf Coast to the Tennessee Valley at risk. However, the FOX Forecast Center said that the intensity of the storms won't be near what has been experienced over the last several days in the region. Storms were firing up in the Southeast early Monday, and more are expected as the storm system continues on its journey off to the east. Watch Vs. Warning: Here Are The Differences Between These Weather Terms That Could Save Your Life By Monday afternoon, the system should help trigger additional storms as it moves into a warm and humid environment. The best potential for severe storms may set up across parts of central Mississippi and Alabama, where conditions could become more favorable for stronger and more organized storms. However, there is still some uncertainty about how fast this system will move, which will impact where the highest risk will develop. How Public Safety Officials Notify You During Severe Weather Emergencies Depending on the evolution of the storms on Monday, there could be an increase in the severe weather threat level. The main threats from storms that develop will be damaging wind gusts. Cities at risk of severe storms on Monday in the Southeast include Jackson and Tupelo in Mississippi, Mobile and Montgomery in Alabama, Atlanta and Savannah in Georgia, Nashville and Chattanooga in Tennessee, Columbia in South Carolina and Charlotte in North Carolina. Advice For Dealing With Storm Anxiety When Severe Weather Threatens It's not only the severe weather that's putting millions of people on alert as the new workweek gets underway. Torrential rain could lead to some flash flooding across portions of the Southeast and Northeast. Noaa's Weather Prediction Center (WPC) has placed a large portion of the Great Lakes region and interior Northeast in a Level 2 out of 4 flash flood threat on Monday. How Heavy Is It Really Going To Rain? The FOX Forecast Center said a narrow band of deep moisture and instability will help to support periods of heavy rain, with rainfall rates of 1-2 inches per hour possible. The greatest risk of heavy rainfall and possible flooding will focus on Pennsylvania and western and central New York, which is where storms may train, or move repeatedly over the same areas. This will increase the risk of flooding. As a result, Flood Watches have been issued from north-central Pennsylvania, including Scranton, into much of western and central New York, including Syracuse. These Are The Rainiest Hour And Minute In American History There is also a growing flood concern in the Southeast on Monday. The WPC placed portions of six states in the Southeast in a Level 2 out of 4 flash flood threat on Monday. This threat zone includes cities such as Montgomery and Mobile in Alabama, Tallahassee in Florida and Atlanta in Georgia. How Much Literally Is A 'Boatload' Of Rain?Original article source: Severe weather, flooding threaten millions from Gulf Coast to Northeast

June 2025 full moon: When to see the full Strawberry Moon rise above the Hudson Valley
June 2025 full moon: When to see the full Strawberry Moon rise above the Hudson Valley

Yahoo

time41 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

June 2025 full moon: When to see the full Strawberry Moon rise above the Hudson Valley

When does the June full moon rise, and will we be able to see it from the Lower Hudson Valley? June's full moon is set to appear at around 8:27 p.m. Tuesday, June 10. According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, it will set at around 4:21 a.m., Wednesday. Will we be able to see it in the Hudson Valley? Read on for a forecast and other facts about this month's moon. Lower Hudson Valley astro-enthusiasts will have to contend with a 30% chance of showers before 8 p.m. the night of the Strawberry Moon's rise, a National Weather Service forecast says. Otherwise, skies will be partly-cloudy, with low temperatures around 60 degrees. An Accuweather forecast has a 19% chance of precipitation Tuesday night. Star gazers can look forward to another chance to see the full moon Wednesday, thanks to drier weather and mostly clear skies at night, according to the NWS. According to an Accuweather forecast, the region may see some wind gusts of up to 14 mph. With lows in the low to mid-60s, folks can look forward to a great night for stargazing. The full Strawberry Moon will make its appearance on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. Similar to the Pink Moon, June's Strawberry Moon takes its name from the seasonal berry harvest, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. Ripening berries are traditionally ready to be harvested around this time in the northeastern United States. Other names for June's full moon include the Birth Moon, Hot Moon, Blooming Moon, and the Green Corn Moon. Lunar calendar 2025: Dates for full moons, supermoons, and a total lunar eclipse The New Moon will darken skies above New York on June 25. The next full Moon on the celestial calendar is July's full Buck Moon, set to rise July 10. (This story was updated to correct dates and times for this week's full moon rise.) This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: June 2025 full moon: When to see it in Hudson Valley NY skies

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store