After deep DOGE cuts, National Weather Service gets OK to fill up to 450 jobs
NOAA was granted permission to fill critical positions at its weather arm, including openings for meteorologists, hydrologists and electronics technicians, Trump administration officials said. The hirings are part of an exemption to a freeze on federal hiring in place through at least Oct. 15.
NOAA declined to comment further.
The planned hiring was first reported by CNN.
The Department of Government Efficiency has gutted NOAA and the National Weather Service, which are key for the nation's daily weather forecasts, severe storm warnings, climate monitoring and more. Hundreds of NOAA forecasters and other employees have been cut, and NWS offices around the country have had a number of vacancies.
The administration has also weighed ending the sharing of satellite data that is key to effective storm tracking and stopped tracking the cost of climate change-fueled weather disasters.
Meteorologists and climate scientists have warned of consequences with fewer workers in positions that are crucial, especially as the hurricane season got underway. After deadly flash flooding that killed dozens of people in Texas last month, some local officials and Democrats suggested that the deep staffing cuts may have contributed to endangering lives, though others defended the agency's work.
Experts cautiously applauded the exemption for hirings as positive news.
'While this new development is great news for the NWS and the American public, I would like to see that the hiring actions are actually underway,' said Louis Uccellini, former NOAA administrator for weather services and NWS director.
The hirings are said to include the 'mission-critical field positions' that the agency announced it would hire for in June 'to further stabilize front line operations.' The agency did not say at the time how many roles would be filled.
___
Alexa St. John is an Associated Press climate reporter. Follow her on X: @alexa_stjohn. Reach her at [email protected].
___
Read more of AP's climate coverage at http://www.apnews.com/climate-and-environment
___
The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
Weekend concerts and fairs will have nice weather as the streak continues
If you are going to be one of the thousands of fans heading to the Jason Aldean concert or the couple of fairs going on this weekend, it looks like the weather will cooperate. WEATHER LINKS: Current Conditions | School Closings & Delays | Submit Your Weather Photos Today will be the most pleasant of the weekend, with highs in the mid-80s and humidity levels remaining on the low side. In fact, humidity levels will remain 'low' through Sunday morning, before we start to see our comfy levels heading down. High temperatures on Saturday will hit the mid to upper 80s. I have Pittsburgh's Saturday high at 87°. Sunday may be the first of a couple of days in a row with highs in the 90s. If we hit 90 degrees on Sunday, it will be due to the dry air still being in place. Normally, 850mb temps of 17c aren't enough for us to hit 90°, unless the air is extremely dry. Right now, dew points on Sunday are pegged to be in the upper 50s, so it's certainly possible for our temps to soar and briefly hit 90 degrees. Things begin to change heading into next work week, with highs still up there in the 90s on Monday and Tuesday. Humidity levels will be back in the moderate range, though. Rain chances return late Tuesday, sticking around through the day on Wednesday and Thursday as a weak front moves and stalls over us. This will bring a consistent rain chance and maybe even a storm chance on Wednesday. Precipitable water levels look to be in the moderate range, which should limit any potential flash flooding to just isolated. Rain chances should tick our temperatures down Wednesday and Thursday of next week. I will keep highs solidly in the mid to upper 80s for the middle of next week, with another temperature surge late next week. I have us back in the 90s for highs next Saturday, so we aren't done with hot weather just yet. Stay up to date with the KDKA Mobile App – which you can download here!
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Rain chances increasing for Tampa Bay area as tropical moisture moves over Florida. Here's the timeline
The Brief Rain chances are going up for the Tampa Bay area, with increased coverage lasting into this weekend. Deep tropical moisture, which FOX 13 meteorologists say is not related to any tropical system, will move over Florida. Although tropical activity is picking up, there's no imminent threat to the U.S. TAMPA, Fla. - Thursday could be an active day for rain and storms in the Tampa Bay area, especially during the later hours, and it comes as deep tropical moisture moves toward Florida. Thursday weather forecast FOX 13 Meteorologist Dave Osterberg says rain coverage will increase to about 60-70% on Thursday, with much of the wet weather coming during the evening and nighttime hours. Osterberg says that while tropical activity is picking up, this particular moisture that's bringing more rain over the next few days is not related to any tropical system. "There's a lot of deep tropical moisture over the Bahamas," Osterberg said. "And that moisture is going to move our way… We have a lot of moisture in the atmosphere. Our cup is full. We're just going to add more water to that same full cup and it's going to overflow, and that overflow is going to be the rainfall." Rain chances will stay at about 70% at least through Saturday, according to Osterberg, before a gradual drop in coverage next week. Activity in the tropics The National Hurricane Center is watching multiple areas in the Atlantic for possible development, but there is no imminent threat to the U.S. Tropical Storm Dexter continues to move east-northeast over the Atlantic, away from land. Meanwhile, an area dubbed Invest 96L has a 60% chance of development in the next seven days and is expected to move over the central Atlantic, according to the NHC. The NHC is giving another weak area of low pressure off the southeastern U.S. coast a 30% chance of development. "Even if it does develop, it's probably not going to happen until it's well east of the Carolinas and north of Bermuda, and that puts it out of play for everybody," Osterberg said. The Source This story was written with information from FOX 13 meteorologists and the National Hurricane Center. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
On This Date: Early Morning Tornadoes Strike New York City, Including Brooklyn's First In Over A Century
New York City was hit by a pair of tornadoes 18 years ago, one of which was the first to strike Brooklyn in more than a century. As New Yorker's were waking up Aug. 8, 2007, severe thunderstorms packing a tornado threat struck the city in the 6 a.m. EDT hour. The first tornado hit Staten Island, where it produced EF1 damage, mainly to trees. It tracked nearly two miles from around Castleton Corners to Tompkinsville. Two minutes after that tornado dissipated, another stronger one formed and struck Brooklyn, downing trees and causing structural damage to roofs along a four-mile long path. The worst damage, rated EF2 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, was seen in the Bay Ridge area. This is considered a strong tornado, packing winds between 111 to 135 mph. In addition to the tornadoes, the storms also produced significant flash flooding during the morning rush across New York City, including on several subway lines and roads. Tornadoes don't happen every year in the local area covered by the National Weather Service in Upton, New York, which includes far southeast New York, northeast New Jersey and southern Connecticut. Since 2008, there were four years with no tornadoes at all, but as many as 12 in 2018, and 10 in 2021, according to the National Weather Service. All other years had between 1 to 4 twisters. Chris Dolce has been a senior digital meteorologist with for 15 years after beginning his career with The Weather Channel in the early 2000s.
