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By Joe Edwards
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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is confronting severe staffing shortages at the National Weather Service (NWS) just weeks before the Atlantic hurricane season is expected to begin. The agency is scrambling to fill 155 forecasting positions by May 27, some of which are in storm-prone regions like Texas and Louisiana, according to a report by The Washington Post.
A NOAA spokesperson told Newsweek: "Several local NWS offices are temporarily operating below around-the-clock staffing. NWS is mitigating impacts by temporarily reassigning meteorologists and directing nearby offices to provide additional support."
"NWS is prepared to meet the rigorous demands of hurricane season and will continue to prioritize the safety and security of the American people."
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Why It Matters
The White House and Elon Musk-spearheaded Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have been seeking to reduce government spending, leading to layoffs across numerous government agencies, including the NOAA, the parent agency of the NWS.
What To Know
The Post said that according to notices it recently obtained, some NWS teams are facing staffing shortages so severe that the agency is covering relocation costs for employees who agree to transfer to those offices.
Some forecast offices have already halted overnight operations due to insufficient personnel, the outlet said, citing the National Weather Service Employees Organization labor union.
These closures reportedly included offices in California's Central Valley, Kansas, and Kentucky, with others in Wyoming, Michigan, Oregon, and Alaska projected to follow.
Among the 155 vacant roles are 76 meteorologists, including those needed to lead forecast offices and manage teams.
Offices in Fairbanks, Alaska, and Hanford, California, each need multiple meteorologists, the outlet reported. In Lake Charles, Louisiana, and Houston, Texas, the agency is seeking senior meteorologists.
"As the NWS enters peak severe weather and hurricane seasons, urgent action is needed to sustain mission-critical operations," read an NWS document, according to the Post.
"For this reason, priority will be given to applicants whose departure will not result in operational impacts at their current office/duty station."
What People Are Saying
The NOAA spokesperson told Newsweek: "NWS will ensure resilience and continuity of mission-critical functions and does not anticipate a significant impact in services as it works to mitigate potential impacts and direct other regional offices to provide additional support."
Tom Fahy, legislative director for the National Weather Service Employees Organization, said in an email, per The Washington Post: "For most of the last half century NWS has been a 24/7 operation—not anymore thanks to Elon Musk."
Former NOAA administrator Rick Spinrad previously told Newsweek regarding personnel cuts: "These terminations are consequential, and we will see an immediate impact on NOAA's ability to deliver critical services to American individuals, corporations and communities."
What Happens Next
Offices in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Marquette, Michigan, are expected to curtail overnight operations next week, with Fairbanks following in June, The Washington Post reported.
Update 5/15/25, 11:41 a.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from a NOAA spokesperson.
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