Why Trump's Plan to Stop Tallying Weather Losses Matters to the Insurance Industry
By and Brian K Sullivan
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Extreme weather is an increasingly expensive problem in the US. Last year, fires, droughts and storms caused more than $182 billion in damages — but going forward, the federal government won't be keeping track.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, announced Thursday it will 'retire' its popular database of climate and weather disasters that caused at least $1 billion in damage, a move that follows the Trump administration's efforts to scrub environmental data across the federal government.
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E&E News
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Flood predictions could worsen when Trump's cuts take hold
The White House is rejecting assertions from Democrats and former NOAA officials that its cuts to weather and disaster spending contributed to the Texas flooding that killed more than 100 people. But that stance sidesteps a looming reality: The vast majority of President Donald Trump's rollbacks to the agencies' funding, staffing and science have yet to land. Scientists and weather prediction experts warned that once he fulfills his agenda, areas around the country could face new risks as federal programs are degraded — from disaster warning systems and satellite observations to funding for flood projects and disaster aid. The Trump White House has proposed cutting $163 billion from the federal budget in the next fiscal year — making it the smallest in recent history. Advertisement 'Lives are going to be lost, property is going to be damaged,' said Rick Spinrad, who served as NOAA administrator under former President Joe Biden. On Monday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt described Democrats who had pointed to Trump's cuts at the National Weather Service in the aftermath of the floods as 'depraved and despicable' and said the offices in the affected area were fully staffed. In fact, both offices had vacancies in key positions, according to NOAA's own records. A spokesperson for the White House budget office rejected the idea that Trump's policy ideas could affect the outcome of disasters. 'It is sad that while recovery efforts are ongoing, people are opportunistically trying to score political points by faulting unrelated budget cuts like the Green New Scam,' said Rachel Cauley. It's true that weather forecasts and warnings were accurate ahead of the disaster despite widespread cuts at the National Weather Service, which is part of NOAA. But weather predictions and forecast accuracy stand to change as Trump cements his agenda, according to a former top NOAA official and climate scientists. Hundreds of NWS officials have already lost their jobs, leaving vacancies in top meteorological roles that warn communities of looming weather extremes. The agency's basic functionality is already suffering. Billions more in federal budget cuts to agencies involved in weather and climate prediction and planning is slated for elimination. That includes cutting entire divisions of atmospheric research at NOAA, half of NASA's science division, labs that study extreme weather, weather-monitoring spacecraft now in orbit and thousands of additional scientists. The proposed Trump administration cuts are so steep to weather prediction and science that the forecast in Texas could be far more accurate than future predictions, Spinrad said. 'If you have a problem with the quality of that forecast, then you want to have a real problem with eliminating the National Severe Storms Laboratory,' Spinrad said, referring to one of the NOAA labs — an extreme weather research facility that Trump has slated for elimination. 'Our ability to improve the forecast, the understanding and the guidance with respect to responding to events like this is only going to degrade, not improve, and this is after decades and decades of improvement in all of these forecasts.' That includes tools for flood prediction and recovery — setting the country up for potentially worse outcomes when extreme rainfall strikes. Compromised flood predictions Chief among the proposed cuts is the elimination of NOAA's Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, which coordinates scientific studies on everything from extreme weather to marine ecosystems. Its facilities 'provide indispensable scientific research and analysis for meteorologists across the country,' said Tom Fahy, legislative director at the union that represents NWS employees. OAR houses a network of NOAA laboratories and 16 science consortiums involving dozens of research institutes across 33 states. Many of them study extreme weather, from hurricane research in Miami to severe thunderstorm research in Norman, Oklahoma. They also help build weather models that scientists use to forecast events like the Texas floods. Trump's proposed cuts would also hamstring one of the main tools for observing weather in real time: Our eyes in space. The proposed NASA budget would severely cut funding for spacecraft that are used for weather prediction and modeling future conditions. A number of targeted satellites are already in orbit. NASA's $7 billion science division is slated to be cut in half, with the budget ax centering on climate research. That means predicting future floods — and the development of new tools for forecasting intense rainfall events — would be compromised. The next generation of Landsat satellites is a key example. For about 50 years, the satellites have been an essential tool for monitoring and mapping floods. Their data is important 'for assessing risk, mapping the extent of damage, and planning post-disaster recovery,' according to NASA. Trump is working to eliminate its funding. A few weeks ago, Trump administration officials archived the Landsat account on X and deleted information related to the planning for Landsat Next, the tenth version of the satellite, from its webpage. Weather forecasts gradually improve as scientists add more data. But they'll likely plateau — or even degrade — as NOAA's research and observation functions vanish, many scientists warn. OAR's research 'has been amazing at developing computer models to help in the forecasting of these types of events,' said John Sokich, NWS's former director of congressional affairs, referring to the Texas floods. But if the office isn't reinstated by Congress for 2026, he said, 'that's going to stop.' Some of the agency's most valuable models for flood prediction might be in jeopardy sooner rather than later. The government's accurate forecasts of the deadly floods were made possible by a suite of high-resolution NOAA weather models designed to predict thunderstorms, Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at UCLA, said in a live YouTube talk Monday. Having multiple models in the system helps scientists evaluate a range of possible outcomes when severe weather is on the horizon. NOAA tried to consolidate the collection of models into a single forecasting system a few years ago. But meteorologists expressed concern that it might not perform as well, and the change was delayed. Trump plans to revive the plan. 'There's benefit in having multiple models,' Swain said. 'How expensive is it really to maintain that, as opposed to the cost of them missing a catastrophic flood?' 'A disconnect' Meanwhile, staffing cuts at NWS offices across the country are likely to take a toll over time, experts say. NWS offices were adequately staffed during the Texas floods, in part because agency officials called 'all hands on deck' to deal with the disaster, according to Fahy. But the offices still have vacancies in key roles, including a permanent meteorologist-in-charge in San Angelo and a warning coordination meteorologist in San Antonio. Other offices across the country face similar shortages, and experts have raised alarms about the potential for burnout — which can lead to forecasting errors — among exhausted staff working overtime during disasters. At the same time, Trump has cut funding for activities that help meteorologists engage with local authorities. Warning coordination meteorologists — a top position at NWS offices — serve as liaisons with emergency managers and other officials, attending meetings, conferences and tabletop exercises aimed at planning for extreme weather events. Trump has suspended travel funding for these activities, according to Fahy, which could lead to long-term breakdowns in communication and collaboration between forecasters and their communities. 'They need to be able to do this,' Fahy said. 'That is the core function of their duties, which is the outreach of their message.' According to Fahy, vacancies at the NWS offices in Texas didn't cause problems during the deadly floods. But some experts are worried that they contributed to a gap between the severity of the weather forecasts and the way local authorities communicated the dangers to the public. 'Clearly there was a disconnect — the message didn't get to the people who need it when they needed it or they didn't understand it,' said Swain. He added that the science was spot on during the floods. In this case, forecasters were still able to do their jobs. But if Trump's proposed cuts become reality? 'That will 100 percent be responsible for costing lives,' Swain said. Reporter Daniel Cusick contributed.
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My Favorite Rechargeable Hand Warmers Are at an All-Time Low Price for Prime Day
Amazon Prime Day sale: The Ocoopa UT3 Lite Magnetic Rechargeable Hand Warmers are available for $16. That's a 47% discount and the lowest price we've ever seen them sell for, making this Amazon Prime Day deal a great way to get a jump on winter weather now. When winter weather comes around, you'll probably find yourself looking for new options to keep warm, from choosing toasty winter workout gear to finding the best setting for your thermostat. One of my favorite solutions year after year is a pair of rechargeable hand warmers that slip right into your gloves. I used to buy those disposable pouches to keep my fingers from freezing -- you know the ones, with chemicals that heat up when you expose them to air. And though they did help me stay warmer when I was outside, I always felt bad about throwing away each single-use bag and its plastic packaging. Now I've ditched the powdered packets in favor of rechargeable warmers -- specifically, a pair of Ocoopa UT3 Lite Magnetic Rechargeable Hand Warmers. With USB charging and multiple temperature levels, these compact hand heaters keep my palms and fingers toasty for hours. When their energy is used up, I just top off the power to use them again later. They come in a variety of colors, and prices between $16 and $30. I bought the orange ones (because orange, of course), which are currently $18. The included lanyards make it easy to keep the warmers nearby. Jeff Carlson/CNET Essential Ocoopa UT3 Lite specs Here are the details about these little warming wonders. Battery capacity: 5,000 mAh 5,000 mAh Temperature range: 100 to 125 degrees Fahrenheit 100 to 125 degrees Fahrenheit Input: USB-C (with rubber dust cover) USB-C (with rubber dust cover) Size: 3.39 inches by 1.89 inches by 0.71 inch 3.39 inches by 1.89 inches by 0.71 inch Weight: 65g each 65g each Included: Two hand warmers, two wrist-length lanyards, USB-C to USB-C cable Two hand warmers, two wrist-length lanyards, USB-C to USB-C cable Charging time: Three and a half hours Three and a half hours Materials: Aluminum heat surface, plastic body Why I chose the Ocoopa UT3 Lite hand warmers In addition to creating less waste, a rechargeable hand warmer offers several advantages over the disposable ones. The Ocoopa UT3 Lite has three temperature settings, which range from around 100 to 125 degrees Fahrenheit. In most cases the first setting is adequate, but sometimes I'll kick it up to the middle, which is around 109 to 117 degrees. I haven't yet kept it at the third setting, but as a Seattle resident, I also haven't yet ventured into really cold conditions. They also heat up quickly, in just a few seconds. Packet warmers usually take 15 to 30 minutes to get warm. Hand warmers are typically sold as a pair. Just the front of each UT3 Lite heats up, but the back is a magnet so you can attach the two to use as a double-sided heater. Snap the two warmers together via their magnetic backs. Jeff Carlson/CNET When I'm out in the cold, I usually keep them in my coat pockets, where I can grip them when I'm not using my hands for anything else. But they aren't only used out in the elements. My attic home office stays pretty chilly if the temperatures are low outside, even with a space heater running. Having these rechargeable hand warmers nearby keeps my hands toasty, like cradling a hot beverage (since unfortunately it's impractical for me to make espressos all day). Hand warmers don't need a complicated interface Each UT3 Lite includes one button and one charging port. And I'll admit that the fact these use USB-C ports was a significant part of my purchasing decision. I dream of a near future when all my gadgets are USB-C powered or connected. Unfortunately the port is only for charging the warmer itself. Some warmers can also charge a connected phone or other device, but I have a handy Anker 622 USB charger for that. The USB-C port is shielded by a rubber cover. Jeff Carlson/CNET The single button powers up the warmer and switches between heat levels: Press and hold to turn on, and then single press to switch between the three heat modes. Tiny lights above the button indicate the warmth level in red; when charging, the lights turn blue and show how full the battery is. The lights are almost too tiny, though, requiring me to get the right angle to spy which heat level is active. The indicator lights are almost too small, but they do the job. Jeff Carlson/CNET Hand warmer size turns out to be important The Ocoopa UT3 Lites are small enough to slip into a glove or a pocket, which is appealing. Many other warmers are larger and bulkier. I imagine these would be great for skiing or snowboarding. How long do these hand warmers last? Each warmer emits heat for between four and eight hours, depending on the warmth level. That's less than many alternative warmers on the market (which can run for 10 to 13 hours), but it's not surprising given the physical sizes. Packet warmers tend to last around 10 hours. Yes, there are a lot of alternative hand warmers out there Although I often run across people who've never heard of rechargeable hand warmers -- "What is that, a new phone?" -- the product category has been around for several years. And there are a lot to choose from at various price points and options. I previously picked up a pair of hand warmers by JMOSTRG -- currently $25 at Amazon -- because they also include an LED light, LCD display and a port for topping up an iPhone. After all, a hand warmer is basically a big rechargeable battery that puts out heat. Jeff Carlson/CNET But in practice it tries to do too many things. Although the warmer itself charges via USB-C, the port to power a phone is USB-A. Controlling the heat output, and whether it applies to one side or both, involves remembering several combinations of button pushes and long-presses. I wanted to warm my fingers from the heat, not from moving them around so much trying to get the right setting. I'll still toss them into a suitcase or bag as backup, but they ended up being too fiddly for more regular use, in my opinion. Instead, my Ocoopa UT3 Lites are the perfect balance of size and simplicity, helping me brave the elements -- even if that's just a slightly drafty workspace. For more ways to stay warm in winter, check out this different kind of heat pump, and consider a heated blanket. And for more awesome tech deals, skim our running coverage of the best Amazon Prime Day deals.
