Latest news with #EricaGrowCei
CBS News
30-07-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
NOAA will continue receiving weather data from Navy satellites after sudden reversal
Great news for weather watchers and hurricane forecasters: NOAA just confirmed it will keep getting key satellite data from the U.S. military, a sudden reversal after last month's announcement that the data would soon stop coming. This is crucial data that's super important for tracking storms — it comes from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, which has been quietly helping both military operations and civilian forecasts for over 50 years. Without it, some storm models could have taken a major hit. The decision comes after weeks of uncertainty, when the Defense Department unexpectedly said they might cut off access to the info due to some cybersecurity concerns. That had meteorologists worried, especially with the heart of hurricane season just about a month away — one that researchers predict will be more active than average. Luckily, a last-minute decision by the Navy's Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center means the data will keep flowing beyond the original end date: July 31, 2025. "(FNMOC) has announced plans to continue distribution of Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) data beyond July 31, 2025. As a result, there will be no interruption to DMSP data delivery and NOAA will continue to have access to data from DMSP for the duration of the Program's life span," spokesperson Erica Grow Cei told CBS News. "Crisis averted," Michael Lowry, Meteorologist at the Storm Surge Unit of the National Hurricane Center, wrote on social media. And honestly, that's what it feels like. Forecasting hurricanes is hard enough without losing one of your main data feeds right before peak season. That said, there's still some uncertainty about the bigger picture. The Trump administration is still considering cuts to NOAA and the National Weather Service. But for now, critical weather forecasting data is intact. We'll be sure to update when any additional information comes Brandt contributed to this report.
Washington Post
16-07-2025
- Science
- Washington Post
NOAA was developing a way to predict extreme rainfall — until Trump officials stopped it
The Commerce Department has indefinitely suspended work on a crucial tool to help communities predict how rising global temperatures will alter the frequency of extreme rainfall, according to three current and former federal officials familiar with the decision, a move that experts said will make the country more vulnerable to storms supercharged by climate change. The tool is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Atlas 15 project — a massive dataset that will show how often storms of a given duration and intensity could be expected to occur at locations across the United States. The project was intended to be published in two volumes: one that would assess communities' current risks, and a second that would project how those risks will change under future climate scenarios. The release of Atlas 15 had been long awaited by civil engineers, regional planners and other groups that use NOAA's precipitation frequency estimates to develop regulations and design infrastructure. Many parts of the country rely on decades-old data to determine their rainfall risks, and there is no authoritative national dataset of how rainfall and flood threats will rise in a warmer world. But work on Atlas 15′s climate projections has been on hold for months after Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick ordered a review of volume two this spring, according to current and former NOAA officials with knowledge of the project. National Weather Service spokeswoman Erica Grow Cei confirmed the move to delay the project, saying Lutnick's review is aimed at 'making sure research dollars and technology investments are being put to the very best use for the American people.' She declined to say how long the hold is expected to last. Ed Clark, who had worked extensively on Atlas 15 as director of the agency's National Water Center, said that research for volume two was almost complete before he retired at the end of April and that the cost of remaining work was 'not a large price tag.' Meanwhile the toll of intensifying storms is becoming increasingly apparent. In the first 15 days of July, the National Weather Service has reported twice the usual number of flash floods — including the deluge that killed at least 130 in Central Texas and heavy rains in the northeast that drowned two people in New Jersey and left New York subway stations submerged. Clark worries that delaying the release of Atlas 15 climate projections — or canceling the volume altogether — could leave communities unprepared for shifting flood risks and make it harder for engineers to ensure that buildings, bridges and other projects can cope with future rainfall extremes. 'Designing our infrastructure for resilience is fundamentally a cost-saving measure,' he said. Preliminary data for volume one, which is based on historical observations, is still on track to be made public by the end of this year, according to Fernando Salas, director of the geo-intelligence division at the National Water Center. For every location in the contiguous United States, the dataset will show the likelihood of a given amount of precipitation falling in a certain time period — helping communities determine the level of rainfall they should expect to occur every year, as well as the sort of storm that would be expected to happen once every century. 'It's going to ensure we've got that baseline established for the entire country,' But the speed with which rising global temperatures are altering precipitation patterns means that the volume one estimates 'will be out of date very quickly,' said Jeremy Porter, head of climate implications research at the nonprofit First Street Foundation. It is a fact of physics that rising global temperatures allow the atmosphere to hold more moisture, providing additional fuel for extreme storms. In a peer-reviewed analysis published in 2023, First Street scientists found that 20 percent of the U.S. has already seen a fourfold increase in the likelihood of 100-year rainfall (an event with a 1 percent chance of happening in any given year). Once-rare events are expected to become even more common as the world continues to warm. A pilot version of Atlas 15 that includes current and future precipitation frequency estimates for Montana was released last year. Though the state is not expected to be among the states hit hardest by extreme rainfall in a warming climate, the volume two estimates showed that rainfall rates for 1-in-100 year events could increase by more than a tenth of an inch per hour if the world stays on its current warming path. The Northeast, Appalachia and other flood-prone regions are expected to experience even bigger increases in the intensity and frequency of extreme events, Porter said. But if NOAA doesn't restart work on volume 2, those states won't know exactly what those changes will be. Though private groups like First Street may produce their own climate projections, NOAA's precipitation frequency estimates provide an authoritative national standard, said Chad Berginnis, executive director of the Association of State Floodplain Managers. City and state regulations have incorporated the federal data into building codes and development plans. Civil engineers are required to consult NOAA when designing features such as road culverts and stormwater drainage systems, which may be intended to last 50 years or more. 'Knowing the future condition helps make that investment more resilient,' Berginnis said. He noted that most federal spending on disasters goes toward helping communities rebuild infrastructure that frequently wasn't designed to withstand the kinds of weather that climate change can bring. 'Think about it as a taxpayer,' he said. 'If we have this future information, we won't have to continue to be in the cycle of damage, repair, replace, damage again.'
New York Times
02-06-2025
- Climate
- New York Times
After Staff Cuts, the National Weather Service Is Hiring Again
After losing nearly 600 employees to layoffs and retirements as part of the Trump administration's sweeping cuts to the federal work force, the National Weather Service is planning to hire additional staff members to 'stabilize' the department, a spokeswoman said. Erica Grow Cei, a spokeswoman for the National Weather Service, said 'a targeted number' of permanent positions would soon be advertised. Tom Fahy, the legislative director for the union that represents Weather Service employees, said the department had been granted an exemption to President Trump's governmentwide hiring freeze to hire 126 people in positions around the country, including meteorologists, hydrologists, physical scientists and electronics technicians. In recent months, the Weather Service said it was preparing for 'degraded operations' with fewer meteorologists available to fine-tune forecasts. Some forecasting offices no longer had enough staff members to operate overnight, and others had to curtail the twice-daily launches of weather balloons that collect data on atmospheric conditions that feed into forecast models. The meteorologists still on staff were being asked to shuffle around the country in short-term assignments to fill gaps where the cuts had made the deepest impact. At the same time, the country has seen a nonstop pace of deadly and expensive weather disasters this year, including the California wildfires, several tornado outbreaks and severe hailstorms. On the cusp of the Atlantic hurricane season, which began on Sunday, some observers had expressed concerns about understaffed offices and fatigue. At a news conference in New Orleans last month to announce that it was forecasting an above-average hurricane season, officials with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Weather Service's parent agency, acknowledged those concerns indirectly. 'We are fully staffed' at the National Hurricane Center, said Laura Grimm, NOAA's acting administrator, calling hurricane response a top priority for the Trump administration. 'We are very supportive of our national weather staff,' she said. Representative Mike Flood, a Republican from Nebraska — who in April helped persuade the White House to restore some of the staff positions lost at one local forecasting office — praised the hiring decision on Monday. 'Hiring these positions will help ensure that the agency is able to deliver information the public relies on across the nation to stay safe amid severe weather,' he said.
Hamilton Spectator
02-06-2025
- Climate
- Hamilton Spectator
Northern lights could be visible again in some US states after weekend solar storms
NEW YORK (AP) — Northern lights may be visible in parts of the U.S. Monday night following weekend solar storms. The sun burped out a huge burst of energy called a coronal mass ejection last week, prompting space weather forecasters to issue a rare, severe solar storm alert on Sunday, though it wasn't as strong as last year's record . Another one headed toward Earth on Monday could produce more aurora sightings. Authorities are monitoring for possible disruptions, though the worst is already over. The weekend's storms may have caused brief disruptions to high-frequency radio, said Erica Grow Cei, a spokesperson with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Auroras could be visible — especially in darker, rural areas — in Alaska, Washington, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, Maine and northern parts of Idaho, Wyoming, Iowa, New York, Vermont and New Hampshire. Here's what to know about auroras and how to spot them. What are northern lights? The sun is at the maximum phase of its 11-year activity cycle , making the light displays more common and widespread. Colorful northern lights have decorated night skies in unexpected places and space weather experts say there are more auroras still to come. Last spring, the strongest geomagnetic storm in two decades slammed Earth, producing light displays across the Northern Hemisphere. And last fall, a powerful solar storm dazzled skygazers far from the Arctic Circle when dancing lights appeared in unexpected places including Germany, the United Kingdom, New England and New York City. Aurora displays known as the northern and southern lights are commonly visible near the poles, where charged particles from the sun interact with Earth's atmosphere. Skygazers are spotting the lights deeper into the United States and Europe because the sun is going through a major facelift. Every 11 years, its poles swap places, causing magnetic twists and tangles along the way. Severe storms are capable of scrambling radio and GPS communications. The sun's active spurt is expected to last at least through the end of this year, though when solar activity will peak won't be known until months after the fact, according to NASA and NOAA. What do solar storms do? Solar storms can bring more than colorful lights to Earth. When fast-moving particles and plasma slam into Earth's magnetic field, they can temporarily disrupt the power grid. Space weather can also interfere with air traffic control radio and satellites in orbit. In 1859, a severe solar storm triggered auroras as far south as Hawaii and caught telegraph lines on fire in a rare event. And a 1972 solar storm may have detonated magnetic U.S. sea mines off the coast of Vietnam. Space weather experts aren't able to predict a solar storm months in advance. Instead, they alert relevant parties to prepare in the days before a solar outburst hits Earth. How to see auroras Northern lights forecasts can be found on NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center website or an aurora forecasting app. Consider aurora-watching in a quiet, dark area away from city lights. Experts recommend skygazing from a local or national park. And check the weather forecast because clouds can cover up the spectacle entirely. Taking a picture with a smartphone camera may also reveal hints of the aurora that aren't visible to the naked eye. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Northern lights could be visible again in some US states after weekend solar storms
NEW YORK (AP) — Northern lights may be visible in parts of the U.S. Monday night following weekend solar storms. The sun burped out a huge burst of energy called a coronal mass ejection last week, prompting space weather forecasters to issue a rare, severe solar storm alert on Sunday, though it wasn't as strong as last year's record. Another one headed toward Earth on Monday could produce more aurora sightings. Authorities are monitoring for possible disruptions, though the worst is already over. The weekend's storms may have caused brief disruptions to high-frequency radio, said Erica Grow Cei, a spokesperson with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Auroras could be visible — especially in darker, rural areas — in Alaska, Washington, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, Maine and northern parts of Idaho, Wyoming, Iowa, New York, Vermont and New Hampshire. Here's what to know about auroras and how to spot them. What are northern lights? The sun is at the maximum phase of its 11-year activity cycle, making the light displays more common and widespread. Colorful northern lights have decorated night skies in unexpected places and space weather experts say there are more auroras still to come. Last spring, the strongest geomagnetic storm in two decades slammed Earth, producing light displays across the Northern Hemisphere. And last fall, a powerful solar storm dazzled skygazers far from the Arctic Circle when dancing lights appeared in unexpected places including Germany, the United Kingdom, New England and New York City. Aurora displays known as the northern and southern lights are commonly visible near the poles, where charged particles from the sun interact with Earth's atmosphere. Skygazers are spotting the lights deeper into the United States and Europe because the sun is going through a major facelift. Every 11 years, its poles swap places, causing magnetic twists and tangles along the way. Severe storms are capable of scrambling radio and GPS communications. The sun's active spurt is expected to last at least through the end of this year, though when solar activity will peak won't be known until months after the fact, according to NASA and NOAA. What do solar storms do? Solar storms can bring more than colorful lights to Earth. When fast-moving particles and plasma slam into Earth's magnetic field, they can temporarily disrupt the power grid. Space weather can also interfere with air traffic control radio and satellites in orbit. In 1859, a severe solar storm triggered auroras as far south as Hawaii and caught telegraph lines on fire in a rare event. And a 1972 solar storm may have detonated magnetic U.S. sea mines off the coast of Vietnam. Space weather experts aren't able to predict a solar storm months in advance. Instead, they alert relevant parties to prepare in the days before a solar outburst hits Earth. How to see auroras Northern lights forecasts can be found on NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center website or an aurora forecasting app. Consider aurora-watching in a quiet, dark area away from city lights. Experts recommend skygazing from a local or national park. And check the weather forecast because clouds can cover up the spectacle entirely. Taking a picture with a smartphone camera may also reveal hints of the aurora that aren't visible to the naked eye. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
