Devastating Texas floods highlight need for coordination, experience amid Trump-era service cuts

Disaster Overview - Central Texas catastrophic flooding resulted in 104 lives lost, including at least 28 children [1] - Approximately 5 million people were under flood watch in Central Texas [1] - Water levels rose 20-30 feet (approximately 6-9 meters) in an hour in some areas [5] Staffing and Budget Cuts Impact - Staff vacancies in Texas weather offices occurred before a busy hurricane season [2] - Concerns were raised about the impact of staffing cuts at the National Weather Service [2] - The head of local weather warnings took early retirement due to Trump administration cuts at NOAA [3] - A hiring freeze under the Trump administration made filling the Warning Coordination Meteorologist role challenging [4] - The Austin/San Antonio office was missing its Warning Coordination Meteorologist [14] - Research positions at NOAA, responsible for improving weather models, have been cut [15][16] Climate Change and Disaster Forecasting - Climate change is causing climate chaos and unpredictability in severe weather events [12] - The Trump administration is seen as undercutting science and not paying attention to climate change [9][10] - The administration's actions are lessening the country's readiness to protect people and provide warnings [9]