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Yahoo
6 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
South Florida meteorologist warns viewers NWS staff shortages will impact his hurricane forecasts
A South Florida meteorologist warned viewers that National Weather Service (NWS) shortages will impact his forecasts. In a segment that aired Tuesday on WTVJ, a local NBC television station, meteorologist John Morales talked about previous coverage of a hurricane in 2019, saying, 'confidently, I went on TV, and I told you, 'It's going to turn. You don't need to worry; it is going to turn.'' 'And I am here to tell you, that I am not sure I can do that this year, because of the cuts, the gutting, the sledgehammer attack on science in general,' he added. 'Specifically, let's talk about the federal government cuts to the National Weather Service and to NOAA,' Morales said later. 'Did you know that Central and South Florida National Weather Service offices are currently basically 20 to 40 percent understaffed? From Tampa to Key West, including the Miami office, 20 to 40 percent understaffed.' The Hill reported on Monday that the National Weather Service (NWS) was looking to rehire 126 people after expansive layoffs at the agency resulted in offices being understaffed. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which NWS is a part of, had previously fired hundreds of workers as part of an attempt to lessen the size of government. Florida, like other states in the U.S. Southeast, is often at risk of hurricanes from the Atlantic. Hurricane season just started on Sunday. 'NOAA leadership is taking steps to address those who took a voluntary early retirement option. NWS continues to conduct short-term Temporary Duty assignments (TDYs), and is in the process of conducting a series of Reassignment Opportunity Notices (RONs) to fill roles at NWS field locations with the greatest operational need,' NOAA said in an emailed statement to The Hill on Tuesday. 'Additionally, a targeted number of permanent, mission-critical field positions will soon be advertised under an exception to the Department-wide hiring freeze to further stabilize frontline operations.' Updated at 9:48 p.m. EDT Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Unpacking the Stranded Astronauts' Pay During 9-Month Space Stay
Originally appeared on E! Online Sunita 'Suni' Williams and Butch Willmore didn't cash in on any overtime while stuck in space. In fact, the two experienced astronauts—who returned to earth March 18 after nine months in orbit, some 278 days beyond what they had planned—were paid their standard salaries. 'When NASA astronauts are aboard the International Space Station, they receive regular, 40-hour work-week salaries,' NASA told People in a statement March 19. 'They do not receive overtime or holiday/weekend pay.' And while they have an out of this world career, astronauts are still considered federal employees and are given the standard travel amenities. "While in space, NASA astronauts are on official travel orders as federal employees, so their transportation, lodging, and meals are provided,' the statement added. 'They also are on long-term TDY (Temporary Duty), and receive the incidentals amount for each day they are in space. The incidentals amount is reduced by the percentage required for the length of the trip per federal travel regulations.' More from E! Online Aubrey Plaza Separated From Husband Jeff Baena Months Before His Death Why Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams Were Carried Out on Stretchers After Landing on Earth Cassie Ventura Reacts to Kanye West's Support for Sean "Diddy" Combs While the specific salaries for Suni, 59, and Butch, 62, have not been revealed, the pay rate for astronauts fall under the federal governments GS-11 to GS-14 pay scale, which estimates their salary range from being $84,365 to $152,258 depending on their experience. As for their incidentals, according to fellow astronaut Cady Coleman, it could be as little as a couple bucks a day. 'There is some small amount of money per day for incidentals that they end up being legally obligated to pay you,' Cady—who worked for the International Space Station from 2010 to 2011 told The Washingtonian. 'For me, it was around $4 a day.' If the same amount is applied to Butch and Suni's mission, they may have ended up with an additional $1,144 on top of their yearly salary. Butch and Suni—who have each clocked three space flights during their careers—stayed a total of 286 days longer than their intended 8-day mission. And it was certainly no walk in the park. When the explorers' SpaceX Dragon capsule touched down in Florida, the pair were wheeled off in stretchers—a typical practice for those who return from space as it can be difficult to walk after floating in zero gravity for an extended period of time. 'A lot of them don't want to be brought out on a stretcher,' former NASA senior scientist John DeWitt admitted to Live Science, 'but they're told they have to be.' Keep reading to learn more about Butch an Suni… June 2024August 2024August 2024November 2024December 2024February 2025March 2025March 2025
