Latest news with #DMPS
Japan Today
10-07-2025
- Climate
- Japan Today
Hurricane forecasters are losing 3 key satellites ahead of peak storm season
By Chris Vagasky About 600 miles off the west coast of Africa, large clusters of thunderstorms begin organizing into tropical storms every hurricane season. They aren't yet in range of Hurricane Hunter flights, so forecasters at the National Hurricane Center rely on weather satellites to peer down on these storms and beam back information about their location, structure and intensity. The satellite data helps meteorologists create weather forecasts that keep planes and ships safe and prepare countries for a potential hurricane landfall. Now, meteorologists are about to lose access to three of those satellites. On June 25, the Trump administration issued a service change notice announcing that the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, DMSP, and the Navy's Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center would terminate data collection, processing and distribution of all DMSP data no later than June 30. The data termination was postponed until July 31 following a request from the head of NASA's Earth Science Division. I am a meteorologist who studies lightning in hurricanes and helps train other meteorologists to monitor and forecast tropical cyclones. Here is how meteorologists use the DMSP data and why they are concerned about it going dark. Looking inside the clouds At its most basic, a weather satellite is a high-resolution digital camera in space that takes pictures of clouds in the atmosphere. These are the satellite images you see on most TV weather broadcasts. They let meteorologists see the location and some details of a hurricane's structure, but only during daylight hours. Meteorologists can use infrared satellite data, similar to a thermal imaging camera, at all hours of the day to find the coldest cloud-top temperatures, highlighting areas where the highest wind speeds and rainfall rates are found. But while visible and infrared satellite imagery are valuable tools for hurricane forecasters, they provide only a basic picture of the storm. It's like a doctor diagnosing a patient after a visual exam and checking their temperature. For more accurate diagnoses, meteorologists rely on the DMSP satellites. The three satellites orbit Earth 14 times per day with special sensor microwave imager/sounder instruments, or SSMIS. These let meteorologists look inside the clouds, similar to how an MRI in a hospital looks inside a human body. With these instruments, meteorologists can pinpoint the storm's low-pressure center and identify signs of intensification. Precisely locating the center of a hurricane improves forecasts of the storm's future track. This lets meteorologists produce more accurate hurricane watches, warnings and evacuations. Hurricane track forecasts have improved by up to 75% since 1990. However, forecasting rapid intensification is still difficult, so the ability of DMPS data to identify signs of intensification is important. About 80% of major hurricanes – those with wind speeds of at least 111 mph (179 kilometers per hour) – rapidly intensify at some point, ramping up the risks they pose to people and property on land. Finding out when storms are about to undergo intensification allows meteorologists to warn the public about these dangerous hurricanes. Where are the defense satellites going? NOAA's Office of Satellite and Product Operations described the reason for turning off the flow of data as a need to mitigate 'a significant cybersecurity risk.' The three satellites have already operated for longer than planned. The DMSP satellites were launched between 1999 and 2009 and were designed to last for five years. They have now been operating for more than 15 years. The United States Space Force recently concluded that the DMSP satellites would reach the end of their lives between 2023 and 2026, so the data would likely have gone dark soon. Are there replacements for the DMSP satellites? Three other satellites in orbit – NOAA-20, NOAA-21 and Suomi NPP – have a microwave instrument known as the advanced technology microwave sounder. The advanced technology microwave sounder, or ATMS, can provide data similar to the special sensor microwave imager/sounder, or SSMIS, but at a lower resolution. It provides a more washed-out view that is less useful than the SSMIS for pinpointing a storm's location or estimating its intensity. The U.S. Space Force began using data from a new defense meteorology satellite, ML-1A, in late April 2025. ML-1A is a microwave satellite that will help replace some of the DMSP satellites' capabilities. However, the government hasn't announced whether the ML-1A data will be available to forecasters, including those at the National Hurricane Center. Why are satellite replacements last minute? Satellite programs are planned over many years, even decades, and are very expensive. The current geostationary satellite program launched its first satellite in 2016 with plans to operate until 2038. Development of the planned successor for GOES-R began in 2019. Similarly, plans for replacing the DMSP satellites have been underway since the early 2000s. Delays in developing the satellite instruments and funding cuts caused the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System and Defense Weather Satellite System to be canceled in 2010 and 2012 before any of their satellites could be launched. The 2026 NOAA budget request includes an increase in funding for the next-generation geostationary satellite program, so it can be restructured to reuse spare parts from existing geostationary satellites. The budget also terminates contracts for ocean color, atmospheric composition and advanced lightning mapper instruments. A busy season remains The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to Nov. 30, is forecast to be above average, with six to 10 hurricanes. The most active part of the season runs from the middle of August to the middle of October, after the DMSP satellite data is set to be turned off. Hurricane forecasters will continue to use all available tools, including satellite, radar, weather balloon and dropsonde data, to monitor the tropics and issue hurricane forecasts. But the loss of satellite data, along with other cuts to data, funding and staffing, could ultimately put more lives at risk. Chris Vagasky is a meteorologist and Research Program Manager, University of Wisconsin-Madison. The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. External Link © The Conversation
Axios
10-07-2025
- Business
- Axios
Iowa's English learners reach a record as student aid put on hold
Iowa schools saw a record high of nearly 40,000 English learners last school year, according to new state education data obtained by Axios. Why it matters: Last week, federal funding for a program that helped students meet the same curriculum standards as their English-speaking peers was frozen, increasing uncertainty for districts across the country. Catch up quick: President Trump's administration withheld $6.2 billion in federally allocated education funds that were supposed to be available July 1, as it reviews five K-12 programs, including services for English learners. Iowa's current frozen amount is just over $40 million, which includes funding for summer and after-school programs. According to the state's data, English learners accounted for 7.7% of K-12 students in the last completed academic year. That's a rise of more than 8,300 students compared with five years ago, when English learners made up 6.1% of the student body. Zoom in: Des Moines Public Schools (DMPS) has the most English learners in the state, increasing over the past five years from 6,839 to 7,698, per state data. English learners made up 27% of the DMPS student body in the 2024-25 school year, increasing just over 4.5 percentage points from five years earlier. The district employs 160 teachers and staff members to support its English Language Learners program. By the numbers: Districts receive extra money for English learners, with more than $40.3 million spent across nearly every school district in the state last year, according to the Iowa Department of Education. That included $9.5 million for DMPS and nearly $1.6 million for West Des Moines. The intrigue: DMPS planned $3.5 million in new spending for its English Language Learners programs in the 2025-26 school year, the DSM Register reported in April. What they're saying: It's too early to tell how the federal freeze might affect the program, DMPS spokesperson Amanda Lewis told Axios on Monday.
Fast Company
08-07-2025
- Climate
- Fast Company
Hurricane forecasters are losing key satellites. What to know
About 600 miles off the west coast of Africa, large clusters of thunderstorms begin organizing into tropical storms every hurricane season. They aren't yet in range of Hurricane Hunter flights, so forecasters at the National Hurricane Center rely on weather satellites to peer down on these storms and beam back information about their location, structure and intensity. The satellite data helps meteorologists create weather forecasts that keep planes and ships safe and prepare countries for a potential hurricane landfall. Now, meteorologists are about to lose access to three of those satellites. On June 25, 2025, the Trump administration issued a service change notice announcing that the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, DMSP, and the Navy's Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center would terminate data collection, processing and distribution of all DMSP data no later than June 30. The data termination was postponed until July 31 following a request from the head of NASA's Earth Science Division. I am a meteorologist who studies lightning in hurricanes and helps train other meteorologists to monitor and forecast tropical cyclones. Here is how meteorologists use the DMSP data and why they are concerned about it going dark. Looking inside the clouds At its most basic, a weather satellite is a high-resolution digital camera in space that takes pictures of clouds in the atmosphere. These are the satellite images you see on most TV weather broadcasts. They let meteorologists see the location and some details of a hurricane's structure, but only during daylight hours. Meteorologists can use infrared satellite data, similar to a thermal imaging camera, at all hours of the day to find the coldest cloud-top temperatures, highlighting areas where the highest wind speeds and rainfall rates are found. But while visible and infrared satellite imagery are valuable tools for hurricane forecasters, they provide only a basic picture of the storm. It's like a doctor diagnosing a patient after a visual exam and checking their temperature. For more accurate diagnoses, meteorologists rely on the DMSP satellites. The three satellites orbit Earth 14 times per day with special sensor microwave imager/sounder instruments, or SSMIS. These let meteorologists look inside the clouds, similar to how an MRI in a hospital looks inside a human body. With these instruments, meteorologists can pinpoint the storm's low-pressure center and identify signs of intensification. Precisely locating the center of a hurricane improves forecasts of the storm's future track. This lets meteorologists produce more accurate hurricane watches, warnings and evacuations. Hurricane track forecasts have improved by up to 75% since 1990. However, forecasting rapid intensification is still difficult, so the ability of DMPS data to identify signs of intensification is important. About 80% of major hurricanes—those with wind speeds of at least 111 mph (179 kilometers per hour)— rapidly intensify at some point, ramping up the risks they pose to people and property on land. Finding out when storms are about to undergo intensification allows meteorologists to warn the public about these dangerous hurricanes. Where are the defense satellites going? NOAA's Office of Satellite and Product Operations described the reason for turning off the flow of data as a need to mitigate ' a significant cybersecurity risk.' The three satellites have already operated for longer than planned. The DMSP satellites were launched between 1999 and 2009 and were designed to last for five years. They have now been operating for more than 15 years. The United States Space Force recently concluded that the DMSP satellites would reach the end of their lives between 2023 and 2026, so the data would likely have gone dark soon. Are there replacements for the DMSP satellites? Three other satellites in orbit—NOAA-20, NOAA-21 and Suomi NPP—have a microwave instrument known as the advanced technology microwave sounder. The advanced technology microwave sounder, or ATMS, can provide data similar to the special sensor microwave imager/sounder, or SSMIS, but at a lower resolution. It provides a more washed-out view that is less useful than the SSMIS for pinpointing a storm's location or estimating its intensity. The U.S. Space Force began using data from a new defense meteorology satellite, ML-1A, in late April 2025. ML-1A is a microwave satellite that will help replace some of the DMSP satellites' capabilities. However, the government hasn't announced whether the ML-1A data will be available to forecasters, including those at the National Hurricane Center. Why are satellite replacements last-minute? Satellite programs are planned over many years, even decades, and are very expensive. The current geostationary satellite program launched its first satellite in 2016 with plans to operate until 2038. Development of the planned successor for GOES-R began in 2019. Similarly, plans for replacing the DMSP satellites have been underway since the early 2000s. Delays in developing the satellite instruments and funding cuts caused the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System and Defense Weather Satellite System to be canceled in 2010 and 2012 before any of their satellites could be launched. The 2026 NOAA budget request includes an increase in funding for the next-generation geostationary satellite program, so it can be restructured to reuse spare parts from existing geostationary satellites. The budget also terminates contracts for ocean color, atmospheric composition and advanced lightning mapper instruments. A busy season remains The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to Nov. 30, is forecast to be above average, with six to 10 hurricanes. The most active part of the season runs from the middle of August to the middle of October, after the DMSP satellite data is set to be turned off. Hurricane forecasters will continue to use all available tools, including satellite, radar, weather balloon and dropsonde data, to monitor the tropics and issue hurricane forecasts. But the loss of satellite data, along with , could ultimately put more lives at risk.
Axios
26-06-2025
- Business
- Axios
DMPS considers how much to ask for in bond
The DMPS board is considering how much money to ask from voters for an upcoming bond referendum — possibly scaling back from a $500 million request. Why it matters: The district's long-term plan to overhaul outdated schools and expand academic programs hinges on voter support for a multimillion-dollar bond, but some board members want to avoid inflicting sticker shock at the polls and leaving empty-handed. Catch up quick: DMPS is working toward its 10-year Reimagining Education plan, which would help modernize its schools, offer new Montessori programs, and add preschool programming, specialty schools and grade reconfigurations. Des Moines has 72 school buildings, many averaging 70–80 years old. State of play: The projected cost of the plan is $683 million, including renovations and inflation. Initial board discussions have called for a $500 million bond to help fund it. At that dollar amount, owners of a Des Moines home assessed at $200k would pay an additional $356 annually for 20 years, according to projections shared with the school board last week. What they're saying: Several DMPS board members expressed concern the plan could falter at the ballot box without changes. Board member Jenna Knox noted the difficulties Cedar Rapids has faced trying to get a bond referendum passed. In 2023, a $220 million request failed. This year the district is asking for $117 million. "This is a lot of money. I'm not going to just sugarcoat it," Knox said during the meeting. "We should be smart about it, versus getting absolutely nothing." Zoom in: To pass, the referendum requires 60% voter approval in the Nov. 4 election. School board chair Jackie Norris suggested DMPS officials research more on a $250-$300 million bond and how that would impact the project. Current projections show that a $300 million bond would cost an additional $213.88 annually for a home assessed at $200k.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Yahoo
At least 1 person injured in Des Moines apartment fire early Tuesday
DES MOINES, Iowa — At least one person was injured in a fire at an apartment building near Merle Hay Mall Tuesday morning. Firefighters were called to 3710 57th Street around 6:00 a.m. after receiving reports of smoke coming from an apartment building, according to Ahman Douglass, a firefighter with the Des Moines Fire Department. When firefighters arrived, smoke was visible, and smoke alarms were sounding. Newton death investigation underway after body found during search warrant execution Firefighters were called to 3710 57th Street around 6:00 a.m. after receiving reports of smoke coming from an apartment building, according to Ahman Douglass, a firefighter with the Des Moines Fire Department. When firefighters arrived, smoke was visible, and smoke alarms were sounding. One victim suffered injuries in the fire and has been transported to a Des Moines hospital for treatment. Their condition has not been released. 'As of right now, just the one person reported with injuries, but we did manage to evacuate some children out of that same unit and then we actually performed a complete evacuation of the structure behind us,' said Douglass. Douglass said that some residents were rescued from balconies on the back side of the building. Douglass said it could be a while before residents were allowed back inside. The heroic actions of one resident helped alert neighbors, according to a first-floor resident Meranda Ollin. She said her upstairs neighbor noticed the fire in another apartment on the second floor. 'He tried to get in the apartment because he could smell it, and he couldn't get the door open so he proceeded to knock on everybody's doors and call 911,' said Ollin. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Local impact of corporate sponsors pulling funding for Pride month At least 1 person injured in Des Moines apartment fire early Tuesday Des Moines City Council approves lighting for MacRae Park boardwalk DMPS opens free summer meal sites Des Moines Christian moving to Little Hawkeye Conference Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
