Latest news with #RickSpinrad
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Texas floods shine spotlight on Trump's weather and disaster cuts
The deadly Texas floods are drawing renewed scrutiny to Trump administration cuts at the nation's weather and climate research agencies. A flash flood Friday unleashed water from the Guadalupe River in Central Texas, killing at least 90 people as of Monday afternoon. The incident spurred questions about the preparedness of federal agencies such as the National Weather Service (NWS) and others like it as they face the administration's crosshairs. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which houses NWS, lost hundreds of staffers to Trump administration cuts, and positions within the NWS were among them. The Austin/San Antonio Weather Service office's warning coordination meteorologist, who organizes alerting the outside world about agency forecasts, took a Trump administration buyout in April. The office's Science Operations Officer, who implements new technology and data, also retired around the same time. Rick Spinrad, who led NOAA during the Biden administration, said the office's forecasters still did well, but that staffing-related issues could be causing communication problems. 'I do think the cuts are contributing to the inability of emergency managers to respond,' Spinrad said. 'The Weather Service did a really good job, actually, in getting watches and warnings and … wireless emergency alerts out,' he told The Hill on Monday. 'It's really a little early to give a specific analysis of where things might have broken down, but from what I've seen, it seems like the communications breakdown in the last mile is where most of the problem was.' He particularly pointed to the absence of a warning coordination meteorologist. 'Information went out with significant lead time of several hours, and yet no action was taken,' Spinrad said. 'When you send a message, there's no guarantee that it's received, so someone needs to follow up,' he said. 'In the weather forecast offices, the one who follows up with that is the position called the warning coordination meteorologist. And guess what, there is no WCM in the San Antonio/Austin weather forecast office, because that's one of the positions that was lost in the cuts from this administration.' The Austin/San Antonio Weather Service office issued a flood watch Thursday afternoon, saying areas could get up to 5-7 inches of rainfall. That night, at about 1 a.m. local time Friday, it posted on the social platform X that parts of the state were seeing a flash flood warning. Just after 3 a.m., it posted that 'a very dangerous flash flooding event is ongoing.' 'Heavy rainfall continues in this area and a Flash Flood Warning is in effect. Turn Around, Don't Drown!' the NWS Austin/San Antonio office said. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called for an investigation into 'the scope, breadth, and ramifications of whether staffing shortages at key local National Weather Service (NWS) stations contributed to the catastrophic loss of life and property during the deadly flooding.' President Trump said staffing cuts didn't impact the handling of the incident. 'That was really the Biden setup … but I wouldn't blame Biden for it, either,' he said. 'This is a hundred-year catastrophe and it's just so horrible to watch.' Erica Grow Cei, a spokesperson for the NWS, said the Austin/San Antonio office as well as the San Angelo office 'had additional forecasters on duty during the catastrophic flooding event in Texas's Hill Country during the July 4 holiday weekend' in an email to The Hill. 'Extra staff members from both offices, in addition to the West Gulf River Forecast Center, had extra personnel on the night of Thursday, July 3 into the day on Friday, July 4. All forecasts and warnings were issued in a timely manner,' she said. 'Additionally, these offices were able to provide decision support services to local partners, including those in the emergency management community. The NWS remains dedicated to our mission to serve the American public through our forecasts and decision support services.' It is not the first time the administration's buyouts and other mass firings have come under scrutiny. Earlier this year, the National Nuclear Security Administration rehired staff that oversees the nation's nuclear weapons after firing them en masse. Following staffing cuts, the NWS indicated it was looking to shuffle or hire employees to fill positions in some 'critically understaffed' offices, though the Austin/San Antonio and San Angelo ones were not among them. Tom Di Liberto, a former NOAA climate scientist and public affairs specialist, told The Hill he believes that even with the staffing cuts, the administration should still be able to get the forecast out. However, he warned that other functions that help the NWS do its job such as building relationships could be diminished by the cuts. 'My big concern is, when it comes to the staffing shortages and the loss of expertise, that we've lost, not only their knowledge … knowledge of their regions — what areas flood, what areas are most of concern — but we also lost the relationships with existing partners and external partners,' Di Liberto said. Staffing cuts are not the only potential headwind coming for the nation's meteorologists. In its proposed budget, the Trump administration is calling for broader cuts to research. This includes eliminating NOAA's Office of Atmospheric Research and reducing the budget for the agency's weather research program It also includes closing the Atlantic Oceanographic & Meteorological Laboratory in Miami, the National Severe Storms Laboratory in Oklahoma and other labs in places including New Jersey, Colorado and Hawaii. Di Liberto said such cuts would mean that 'we don't have the data and resources that we need to be able to improve our ability to forecast and communicate these risks.' Spinrad similarly expressed concerns that the cuts would hamper the administration's ability to improve. 'The cuts — as proposed — to research guarantee that we will see no improvement to forecasts and services full stop,' he said. He added that, typically, forecasts 'improve by 24 hours every 10 years,' so a '72-hour forecast today is as good as the 48-hour forecast was 10 years ago, and that's because of the research.' 'If you turn off the research, that progress and improvement is going to stop, and you're going to see a degradation of capability,' Spinrad said. Since the federal budget is handled by Congress and not the administration, it's not clear how many of the newly anticipated cuts will actually stick. But there are also staffing cuts happening broadly across the administration, including at other related agencies such as the National Science Foundation. 'Basic science research has been trimmed pretty dramatically,' said David Stensrud, president of the American Meteorological Society. 'The scientific enterprise as a whole is being proposed for really large cuts. That could really hurt what we're trying to do to improve these kinds of warnings.' Meanwhile, the Trump administration has also indicated it wants to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which helps respond after disasters. Asked over the weekend whether he still wanted to phase out FEMA, Trump said, 'FEMA is something we can talk about later, but right now they're busy working.' White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said Monday that 'the president wants to ensure American citizens always have what they need during times of need. Whether that assistance comes from states or the federal government, that's a policy discussion that will continue, and the president has always said he wants states to do as much as they can, if not more.' Brett Samuels contributed. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CNN
08-07-2025
- General
- CNN
Why Ex-NOAA chief thinks DOGE cuts may have hurt flood response
Why Ex-NOAA chief thinks DOGE cuts may have hurt flood response Rick Spinrad, a former NOAA Administrator, explains why he believes the government staffing cuts implemented by the Trump administration may have hindered the response to the devastating floods in Texas. 00:52 - Source: CNN Vertical Top News 17 videos Why Ex-NOAA chief thinks DOGE cuts may have hurt flood response Rick Spinrad, a former NOAA Administrator, explains why he believes the government staffing cuts implemented by the Trump administration may have hindered the response to the devastating floods in Texas. 00:52 - Source: CNN Texas town successfully carried out evacuations, raising questions about Kerr County response Downstream from Kerrville, Texas, the town of Comfort successfully carried out evacuations, raising questions about Kerr County's response. CNN's Pamela Brown reports from Comfort, where a volunteer firefighter says the town's sirens and evacuations were crucial in getting people to safety. 01:34 - Source: CNN Remembering victims of the Texas floods CNN honors some of the victims of the devastating floods that hit central Texas, leaving the death toll surpassing 100, including at least 27 campers and counselors from Camp Mystic, an all-girls summer camp that sits along the Guadalupe River. 02:01 - Source: CNN City official pressed on why they didn't evacuate before flooding CNN's Pamela Brown asked Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice why evacuations weren't ordered before devastating floods hit central Texas. 01:09 - Source: CNN Volunteers comb through debris as search for missing continues CNN's Isabel Rosales is in Center Point, Texas, about 25 miles from Camp Mystic, where volunteers are bringing in heavy machinery to search for victims after deadly flooding struck the area on July 4th. 01:13 - Source: CNN Camp Mystic confirms 27 campers and counselors have died in floods Camp Mystic, an all-girls summer camp along the Guadalupe River, has confirmed that at least 27 campers and counselors died in the devastating floods that hit the Texas camp. CNN's Pamela Brown reports. 01:09 - Source: CNN Chantal triggers life-threatening flash floods More than 5 million people were under flood alerts across North Carolina and Virginia after Chantal made landfall early Sunday, damaging properties and prompting rescue efforts. 00:42 - Source: CNN Indonesia's Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki volcano erupts Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki erupted in Indonesia, sending a column of ash as high as 11 miles into the sky. 00:38 - Source: CNN Dr. Gupta discusses US measles cases surpassing 25-year-high More measles cases have been reported in the US this year than in any year since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000. CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains why a slight dip in vaccination rates in certain regions has led to an ongoing outbreak. 01:08 - Source: CNN How floods in Texas turned deadly CNN's Ed Lavandera reports on the ground in Texas after months-worth of torrential rain triggered deadly floods. How did the devastation unfold? 00:42 - Source: CNN Pamela Brown reports from Camp Mystic, where she went as a child CNN anchor Pamela Brown was a camper at Camp Mystic 30 years ago, so she knows firsthand that it has been 'a magical place' for generations of girls. Today, she is back there, covering the aftermath of the flood tragedy. 00:57 - Source: CNN Mangled debris shows force of Texas flash floods Barbed wire and mangled trees among the debris scattered for miles, search and rescue workers in Texas face the grueling, slow challenge of holding out hope for any survivors or remains following Friday's flash floods. CNN's Isabel Rosales is in Center Point to give a first-hand look at the challenges volunteers are facing. 00:59 - Source: CNN Group of friends search for survivors Search efforts are underway in Hunt, Texas, to find survivors outside of Camp Mystic. Brooks Holzhausen, with the volunteer group 300 Justice, spoke to CNN detailing the collaboration with state and local law enforcement to help bring missing people home. 01:05 - Source: CNN Timelapse video shows speed of floodwater rising in Texas A timelapse video captured on Friday shows how quickly floodwaters rose along the Llano River in Kingsland, Texas – a town about 95 miles northeast of Camp Mystic. The video, which was sped up, shows the water rush in and rise along the river in the span of 30 minutes. 00:31 - Source: CNN Man describes escaping Airbnb during Texas flash flooding Ricky Gonzalez and a dozen friends were staying at an Airbnb when one of them were awoken by their dog pawing at the door. When they opened the curtain, one of their vehicles was already being swept away. 01:16 - Source: CNN See flood aftermath at Camp Mystic in Texas Authorities are still racing to find victims in central Texas, including 27 people from Camp Mystic, a girls summer camp in Kerr County, where the Guadalupe River rose more than 20 feet in less than two hours during torrential rains that triggered flash flooding in parts of the state. CNN's Ed Lavandera reports. 00:57 - Source: CNN Protests continue in Israel amid ceasefire negotiations As mediators push for a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, protesters in Tel Aviv gathered in Hostages Square to demand a "complete deal" for the return of all hostages, along with a ceasefire. 00:48 - Source: CNN
CNN
08-07-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Why ex-NOAA chief thinks DOGE cuts may have hurt flood response
Rick Spinrad, a former NOAA Administrator, explains why he believes the government staffing cuts implemented by the Trump administration may have hindered the response to the devastating floods in Texas. Though no one can say for sure that personnel cuts at the NWS or open positions at forecasting offices in Texas were linked to the flood's tragic outcome, Trump's federal cuts in those agencies are now under public scrutiny. CNN has reached out to the NOAA for comment.
CBC
06-07-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Search for Texas flood victims enters third day, with more rain forecast
Social Sharing The search for more than two dozen children missing from a girls' summer camp hit by flash floods in Texas entered a third day on Sunday, as rescuers faced the threat of more flooding and the death toll in the region reached at least 43. Local officials warned the number of dead will likely rise and were due to give an update Sunday morning, as search and rescue teams raced to find 27 girls missing from a camp near the Guadalupe River, which broke its banks after torrential rain fell in central Texas on Friday, the U.S. Independence Day holiday. Officials said more than 850 people had been rescued, including some clinging to trees, after a sudden storm dumped up to 38 centimetres of rain across Texas Hill Country, about 140 kilometres northwest of San Antonio. It was unclear how many people in the area were still missing. Some experts questioned whether cuts to the federal workforce by the Trump administration, including to the agency that oversees the National Weather Service, led to a failure by officials to accurately predict the severity of the floods and issue appropriate warnings ahead of the storm. Many U.S. weather offices understaffed U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration have overseen thousands of job cuts at the National Weather Service's parent agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, leaving many weather offices understaffed, said former NOAA director Rick Spinrad. He said he did not know if those staff cuts factored into the lack of advance warning for the extreme Texas flooding, but said they would inevitably degrade the agency's ability to deliver accurate and timely forecasts. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who oversees NOAA, said a "moderate" flood watch issued on Thursday by the National Weather Service had not accurately predicted the extreme rainfall and said the Trump administration was working to upgrade the system. More rain was expected in the area on Sunday. The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for Kerr County, the epicentre of the disaster, until 1 p.m. local time. The disaster unfolded rapidly on Friday morning as heavier-than-forecast rain drove river waters rapidly to as high as nine metres. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, told a press conference on Saturday he had asked Trump to sign a disaster declaration, which would unlock federal aid for those affected. Noem said Trump would honour that request. Trump has previously outlined plans to scale back the federal government's role in responding to natural disasters, leaving states to shoulder more of the burden. WATCH | Search operations continue after Texas floods: Search continues for Texas flood victims as death toll rises 17 hours ago Duration 3:49 Texas Gov. Greg Abbott expanded the state's disaster declaration to include more counties on Saturday in the wake of catastrophic flash floods that have killed dozens. Rescuers used helicopters, boats and drones to look for the missing, including more than two dozen children from a girls camp. At least 15 of the confirmed dead are children, local officials said. The 27 missing girls were from the Camp Mystic summer camp, a nearly century-old Christian girls' camp, which had 700 girls in residence at the time of the flood. A day after the disaster struck, the camp was a scene of devastation. Inside one cabin, mud lines indicating how high the water had risen were at least 1.83 metres from the floor. Bed frames, mattresses and personal belongings caked with mud were scattered inside. Some buildings had broken windows, and one had a missing wall.
Reuters
06-07-2025
- Climate
- Reuters
Search for Texas flood victims enters third day, with more rain forecast
HUNT, Texas, July 6 (Reuters) - The search for over two dozen children missing from a girls' summer camp hit by flash floods in Texas entered a third day on Sunday as rescuers faced the threat of more flooding and the death toll in the region reached at least 43. Local officials warned the number of dead will likely rise and were due to give an update on Sunday morning, as search and rescue teams raced to find 27 girls missing from a camp near the Guadalupe River, which broke its banks after torrential rain fell in central Texas on Friday, the U.S. Independence Day holiday. Officials said more than 850 people had been rescued, including some clinging to trees, after a sudden storm dumped up to 15 inches (38 cm) of rain across Texas Hill Country, about 85 miles (140 km) northwest of San Antonio. It was unclear exactly how many people in the area were still missing. Some experts questioned whether cuts to the federal workforce by the Trump administration, including to the agency that oversees the National Weather Service, led to a failure by officials to accurately predict the severity of the floods and issue appropriate warnings ahead of the storm. President Donald Trump and his administration have overseen thousands of job cuts from the National Weather Service's parent agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, leaving many weather offices understaffed, said former NOAA director Rick Spinrad. He said he did not know if those staff cuts factored into the lack of advance warning for the extreme Texas flooding, but said they would inevitably degrade the agency's ability to deliver accurate and timely forecasts. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who oversees NOAA, said a "moderate" flood watch issued on Thursday by the National Weather Service had not accurately predicted the extreme rainfall and said the Trump administration was working to upgrade the system. More rain was expected in the area on Sunday. The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for Kerr County, the epicenter of the disaster, until 1 p.m. local time. The disaster unfolded rapidly on Friday morning as heavier-than-forecast rain drove river waters rapidly to as high as 29 feet (9 meters). Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, told a press conference on Saturday he had asked Trump to sign a disaster declaration, which would unlock federal aid for those affected. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Trump would honor that request. Trump has previously outlined plans to scale back the federal government's role in responding to natural disasters, leaving states to shoulder more of the burden themselves. At least 15 of the confirmed dead are children, local officials said. The 27 missing girls were from the Camp Mystic summer camp, a nearly century-old Christian girls camp, which had 700 girls in residence at the time of the flood. A day after the disaster struck, the camp was a scene of devastation. Inside one cabin, mud lines indicating how high the water had risen were at least six feet (1.83 meters) from the floor. Bed frames, mattresses and personal belongings caked with mud were scattered inside. Some buildings had broken windows, one had a missing wall.
