Trump Layoffs Affect Hundreds in Weather Forecasting

Hundreds of staff at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) were fired on Feb. 27. Newsweek estimated cuts hit upward of 500 employees and possibly around 800, CNN reported. Most divisions of the agency—which employs scientists and specialists in weather, oceans, biodiversity, climate, and other research and planetary monitoring—were involved. 

Many of those let go were federal employees on probationary status, however, some of the people who lost jobs had decades of experience in their fields of research. 

The Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1, and NOAA operates the National Weather Service, National Hurricane Center, and several other programs that play vital roles in monitoring hurricanes, tornadoes, and storms and ensuring public safety. The National Hurricane Center’s storm track forecasts during the 2024 season also set new records for accuracy at every timeframe from 12 hours to five days into the future, according to a preliminary report. 

In addition to the termination, some National Weather Service’s most experienced forecasters took buyout offers, including about a dozen out of the 40 chief meteorologists at the Central U.S. offices, a region known for many tornado-prone states. The National Weather Service consists of 122 local offices, specializing in the weather and climate of the area. Many of these offices also experienced staffing shortages before the cuts, CNN reported.