Former National Weather Service directors push back against cuts at the agency
'Our worst nightmare is that weather forecast offices will be so understaffed that there will be needless loss of life. We know that's a nightmare shared by those on the forecasting front lines—and by the people who depend on their efforts,' they wrote in an open letter published Friday.
The former directors — who served between 1988 and 2022 — said that between the Trump administration's cuts to probationary workers and personnel reductions through buyouts, the weather service's staffing has been reduced by more than 10% during the busiest time for severe storm predictions.
They said they're also concerned about the Trump administration's budget request for the next fiscal year, after the administration outlined in a letter to Congress a $1.52 billion proposed cut for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the weather service's parent agency.
'NWS staff will have an impossible task to continue its current level of services,' they wrote, if further cuts are implemented. 'Some forecast offices will be so short-staffed that they may be forced to go to part time services."
Their outcry against cuts at the weather service, and the NOAA more broadly, shows that the agencies are a political pressure point as the Trump administration seeks to slash the size of government. Meteorologists said cuts to weather service staffing have led to less effective forecasts, which has spurred some bipartisan backlash in Plains states where severe weather claims many lives.
The letter, which was sent to journalists by a publicist and also circulated on social media, was signed by the former weather service directors: Louis Uccellini, Jack Hayes, U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. D.L. Johnson, U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. John J. Kelly Jr. and U.S. Air Force Col. E.W. (Joe) Friday.
They added: 'As former directors of the National Weather Service, we know firsthand what it takes to make accurate forecasts happen and we stand united against the loss of staff and resources at NWS and are deeply concerned about NOAA as a whole.'
In a statement, the weather service said it wouldn't discuss internal personnel and management matters. It acknowledged that it was juggling staffing concerns.
'We continue to provide weather information, forecasts and warnings pursuant to our public safety mission,' the statement said. 'The National Weather Service is adjusting some services due to temporary staffing changes at our local forecast offices throughout the country in order to best meet the needs of the public, our partners and stakeholders in each office's local area. Work is underway to restore services at local forecast offices around the country.'
The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
Forecasts during severe weather last month in Nebraska helped to clarify concerns about the cuts and prompted one congressional Republican to speak out.
On April 17, as thunderstorms threatened Iowa and Nebraska, the weather service forecasting office in Valley, Nebraska, near Omaha, launched a special weather balloon at 3 p.m. to assess the risk from the storms, but it did not launch a regularly scheduled 7 p.m. balloon because of staff cuts.
The Valley office was one of more than 10 sites where the weather service announced it would cancel balloon launches because of staffing shortages.
Independent meteorologists said the 7 p.m. balloon launch near Omaha could have helped forecasters identify the risk of tornadoes sooner. Storms that appeared to be mostly a hail threat in data from the 3 p.m. weather balloon ended up producing six tornadoes that tracked across eastern Nebraska.
After the storm, Rep. Mike Flood, R-Neb., said he took steps to intervene. In an April 25 news conference recorded by NBC-affiliate WOWT in Omaha, he said he learned the Valley office's staffing had fallen from 13 forecasters to eight, leaving it little choice but to halt weather balloon operations.
After raising the issue, he told reporters he had received a call from the White House agreeing that changes were needed. Soon after, the weather service sent two forecasters to fulfill a temporary assignment at the Valley office.
'We've changed the policy across the country, and these temporary duty assignments are available for forecasters to go to all the other understaffed weather stations,' Flood said, adding that temporary assignments could become permanent and that weather forecasting offices would be allowed to do some new hiring.
He said he planned to introduce legislation to classify forecasters as public safety workers, a measure that would likely exempt them from federal buyouts and other staff-cutting policies.
'They are clearly public safety. And that's something that we need to do in Congress,' Flood said.
Rick Spinrad, former NOAA administrator under then-President Joe Biden, said the weather service was not a bloated target for budgetary cuts.
'The weather service is costing every American 1 cent per day,' Spinrad said.
The staffing cuts have affected more than just weather balloon launches. Last month, the weather service office in Sacramento, California, sent a memo to local media partners saying that it would reduce overnight staffing and stop answering public phones, among other changes.
Friday, one of the former directors, said he was particularly concerned that additional cuts could further stress overnight staffing.
'The worst case scenario we could have if this situation continues would be the development of a severe storm that would start after midnight,' he said, adding that overnight decisions by the weather service and local emergency planners could be the difference between sirens waking people up to a danger, such as a tornado. 'We have holes throughout the weather service now that are not well thought out.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
18 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
MAGA strikes back after Trump ally Alina Habba ousted as top prosecutor job by 'rogue judges'
The MAGA movement erupted in fury on Tuesday after Alina Habba was abruptly ousted from her role as New Jersey 's top federal prosecutor by what Trump allies are calling a group of 'rogue judges.' Habba, the former personal attorney to President Trump, had been serving as acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey until her 120-day appointment expired this week without Senate confirmation. A panel of mostly Democrat-appointed judges bypassed Habba and installed her deputy, Desiree Leigh Grace, as the district's top prosecutor. Within hours, the Trump administration fired back, terminating Grace and sparking a dramatic power struggle between the executive branch and the federal judiciary. Attorney General Pam Bondi accused the court of overstepping its authority and threatening Trump's constitutional powers. 'This Department of Justice does not tolerate rogue judges - especially when they threaten the President's core Article II powers,' Bondi declared on X, launching what appears to be a full-scale legal and political offensive to reclaim the post for Habba. The sudden unraveling of Habba's tenure after a whirlwind rise from Trump's personal attorney to one of the most politically potent prosecutors in the country sent shockwaves through MAGA world. Only months earlier, Habba was sworn in by Trump himself in the Oval Office, taking over the New Jersey post in March. Attorney General Pam Bondi fired Grace, a nine-year veteran prosecutor, accusing the court of overstepping its authority and threatening Trump's constitutional powers Her appointment was always temporary and subject to Senate confirmation but she quickly made headlines by pursuing politically explosive cases, including charges against Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and U.S. Rep. LaMonica McIver, both Democrats. She also challenged New Jersey State Police over sanctuary city policies, generating praise from Trump and fierce criticism from Democrats who accused her of pursuing 'frivolous and politically motivated' prosecutions. Under federal law, if the Senate does not confirm a president's nominee within 120 days, the district court judges can install a replacement and this is exactly what happened - much to Trump's fury. The panel of judges, mostly appointed by Democrats, declined to extend Habba's tenure and instead chose Grace, her deputy, in what insiders describe as a calculated snub of the White House. 'Alina is President Trump's choice to lead,' said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, another Trump loyalist and former defense attorney, in a fiery post on social media. 'No partisan bench can override that.' Behind the scenes, Habba is said to have seen the writing on the wall. Days before the decision, she gathered her staff for an emotional all-hands meeting, according to a source familiar with the conversation. 'Hopefully this isn't goodbye,' she told them, expressing gratitude and signaling that she was still banking on full Senate confirmation, although the odds were stacked against her. Her nomination, submitted formally on July 1, stalled in the Senate due to opposition from New Jersey Democrats Cory Booker and Andy Kim, who accused her of inexperience and partisanship. While Trump has pressed for the Senate to stay in session through August to fast-track his nominees, Habba's path remains uncertain. 'She would never back down from the job Trump chose for her', a person close to her told With Habba's nomination still pending and Grace ousted by DOJ leadership, the ball is now back in the Senate's court.
Reuters
18 minutes ago
- Reuters
FACTBOX Key facts on the US-Japan tariff deal
TOKYO, July 23 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Wednesday said they had struck a trade deal that will include a 15% tariff on imports from Japan. Here's what we know so far. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the deal would include $550 billion of Japanese investments in the United States, improved market access into Japan for American goods including automobiles, rice and other agricultural products. Japanese autos, which account for more than a quarter of all the country's exports to the U.S., will also be subject to a 15% tariff, down from a punishing 25%, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said. The U.S. has also agreed to not impose any caps on auto imports, he added. Japan will keep its existing tariffs on imports of U.S. agricultural products and maintain a minimum market access system that limits the amount of rice that it buys from overseas including the U.S., he said. A Trump administration official said Japan would increase its purchases of U.S. agricultural products such as rice. The $550 billion of investment was the upper limit of loan investments and guarantees that Japanese government state banks and agencies would make available to companies to help companies build resilient supply chains. Japan's top trade negotiator Ryosei Akazawa said steel and aluminium, subject to a separate 50% tariff, were not included in the deal. Akazawa has traveled to the U.S. eight times since April for trade talks with U.S. officials including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. The latest visit came days before an August 1 deadline when the Trump Administration said it would impose a 25% tariff on all Japanese imports. The U.S. is Japan's biggest export market. Economists had estimated that Trump's tariffs could lower Japan's GDP by as much as a percentage point. The tariff agreement comes three days after Ishiba's administration lost its upper house majority in an election, triggering calls for his resignation including from within his own ruling Liberal Democratic Party, according to local media reports. In the wake of that election defeat, Ishiba said he would stay in place to push for a trade agreement with the U.S. and to tackle Japan's looming economic problems. Ishiba will announce his intention to step down by the end of August, the Mainichi newspaper reported on Wednesday. Japanese automaker shares led the Nikkei share average higher, which rose by 2% in early trading following the announcement. Toyota Motor Corp's (7203.T), opens new tab shares jumped by 10% with Honda Motor Co (7267.T), opens new tab up by 9%. The benchmark 10-year Japanese bond futures tumbled as much as 0.92 yen to 137.68 yen, the lowest since March 28.
The Herald Scotland
an hour ago
- The Herald Scotland
There's 115,000 reasons why Trump should be welcomed to Scotland
Little is yet clear on the economic implications of America's new trade policies and Scotland's position within a radically changed global trade structure. The Trump administration is actively reshaping the way the world does business wherever the US is involved. Unfortunately the recent UK-US tariff deal is not yet the broadly-based trade agreement that would secure jobs for Scottish exporters. A baseline 10% tariff on most goods entering the United States might be less challenging than the EU position but it has hit growth and jobs. For Scotland, it represents a significant challenge to our transatlantic trade relationship, which generated £3.8 billion in exports to the US in 2024. Exporters have been forced to re-route product and quickly develop new markets. The urgency of this month's discussions is underscored by the imminent review in August of the UK-US trade arrangements. The present temporary agreement is fragile, creating anxiety in many sectors of the Scottish economy, from universities to food and drink. The impact on Scotland's key industries is already tangible. Scotch whisky, which suffered a major hit to sales during Trump's first presidency when he imposed 25% tariffs, faces renewed uncertainty. The US remains the largest Scotch export market by value, but global trade turmoil is a big headwind for an industry that exports 90% of its product. Read more: Similarly, Scottish salmon exports to the US are significant. Worth over £200 million annually, this trade is the second largest market for the product. And the pressure that lies ahead to harmonise with American regulatory standards could fundamentally alter Scotland's economic landscape. The US now views trade imbalances in simplistic terms, regulatory differences much more important than tariff levels. This represents a profound challenge to European standards on food safety, environmental protection, and product regulations. Food standards in particular are contentious and any changes could have far-reaching implications. Scotland still aims to keep in lock-step with the EU but may have to make some compromises with Westminster running the negotiations. American investment in Scotland extends far beyond Trump's golf properties. The USA is Scotland's largest inward investor, accounting for around 25% of total foreign inward investment in Scotland. More than 650 US-owned businesses employ around 115,000 people across the country. The pharmaceutical sector, financial services, and technology companies in particular have established significant operations ranging from JP Morgan to Amazon and Microsoft. Encouragingly, it seem that some American businesses are actually now viewing Scotland more favourably. If the UK can successfully negotiate a comprehensive trade agreement that provides greater certainty, Scotland could benefit from increased US investment as companies seek to establish operations that can serve both American and European markets from a single location. Anecdotal evidence also suggests that some individual Americans are considering Scotland for potential relocation, attracted by our political stability, social democratic values, and cultural heritage. The relationship also involves exchange of ideas, as the US is Scotland's top global research collaborator. Eighty links between Scottish and US universities and colleges involve staff and student exchanges and many joint publications. The thousands of US students who come to our universities help to forge long lasting relationships between the two nations. The controversial nature of Trump's presidency may actually be driving some North American tourism to Scotland. Many Canadians say they have changed their thinking about travelling to the USA. But overall Scotland's tourism sector is under pressure, as a weak US dollar makes Scotland expensive for American visitors. Combined with new visitor taxes, this means that the sector does not need any new frictions. Trump's approach to international relations reflects a broader strategy to reshape the global economic order around American interests. The traditional multilateral framework that has governed international trade since the Second World War is being replaced by a more transactional system where countries must demonstrate an alignment of interests to maintain favourable treatment. Scotland's relationship with the US clearly matters but, however much it grates to be dictated to, we have relatively few negotiating levers. Even the EU as a whole seems to be in that position at the moment. It will take our leaders all their skill to make the best of the forthcoming meetings. We must find common ground and realise we might learn from new US policies. It seems reasonable for example, that countries should pay their fair share for what is effectively an American security and financial umbrella. And it took US pressure for the UK recently to drop some surprising tariffs; on pasta, pineapples and fruit juice. In some ways, Trump is pursuing a typical agenda for second term presidents - recognising that time and domestic political leverage is not on his side, making foreign policy a bigger focus. US exceptionalism may be unwinding even as it tears up longstanding agreements. In an increasingly fragmented global order it is more important than ever to protect Scottish interests. When emotion and reason are in conflict, the heart often overrules the head. But this is a time to look beyond personalities. The path forward requires acknowledging uncomfortable realities about American power and Scottish dependence while working to preserve the values and interests that define Scotland. Colin McLean is director of Barnton Capital Holdings
