NOAA layoffs threaten weather forecasts as Trump administration slashes staff
Protests erupt as NOAA staff cuts threaten US weather forecasting and climate research (Photo: Getty Images)
The Trump administration is reportedly planning to cut 1,000 additional jobs at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), raising concerns about the agency’s ability to provide critical weather and climate data, The New York Times reports.
The NOAA, responsible for weather forecasting, climate monitoring, and disaster response, is set to lose nearly 20% of its workforce due to planned job cuts by the Trump administration. This comes on top of the 1,300 NOAA employees who have already been fired or resigned in recent weeks.
The administration has instructed NOAA managers to submit proposals for layoffs and restructuring, with a deadline set for Tuesday. According to insiders, these cuts could significantly impact key services, including hurricane and tornado forecasting, fisheries management, and climate monitoring. The move aligns with recommendations from Project 2025, a conservative policy blueprint that describes NOAA as “one of the main drivers of the climate change alarm industry” and calls for its dismantling or privatization.
Scientists warn of severe consequences
Experts fear these drastic reductions could severely hamper the National Weather Service (NWS), which relies on NOAA for real-time data. Some weather monitoring activities, like launching weather balloons, have already been halted due to staff shortages.
Weather forecasting at risk: NOAA staff cuts threaten climate data and disaster preparedness (Photo: Getty Images)
Keith Seitter, a meteorology expert at the College of the Holy Cross, dismissed the notion that private companies could replace NOAA’s role in forecasting.
"The app on your phone or what you’re watching on TV, those are private-sector companies, but those private-sector companies depend critically on NOAA for all the information that they’re using to create those forecasts. It’s a coordinated effort," the expert states.
The firings have fueled protests among scientists, with thousands gathering at "Stand Up for Science" rallies across major cities. Dr. Michael Mann, a climate researcher at the University of Pennsylvania, warned: "This is the most challenging moment I can recall for science. Science is under siege."
The cuts to NOAA follow a pattern of scientific workforce reductions under the Trump administration. Just recently, the Trump administration fired employees responsible for nuclear security, raising alarms about the country’s ability to safeguard critical infrastructure.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that Donald Trump plans mass firings of healthcare workers, sparking fears about the future of public health and emergency response.
