National Weather Service to rehire positions cut by DOGE, but hurricane coverage uncertain

Hurricane Forecasting Concerns - Staff shortages and data loss could reduce hurricane forecast accuracy [1] - Unmanned sail drone contract delayed until 2026 due to Doge buyouts and staff shortages at NOAA [3] - Loss of sail drone data impacts wind and sea surface data collection used by the National Hurricane Center [2][3] - Potential reduction in hurricane hunter flights raises concerns about data loss from above [4] - Hurricane hunter data improves track and intensity forecasts by 15% to 20% [5] Impact of Data Loss - Forecast models rely on data from sail drones, hurricane hunter flights, and weather balloons [7] - Poor data quality leads to inaccurate forecasts [8] - Potential for increased loss of life due to reduced preparedness compared to pre-2024 levels [11] Mitigation Efforts - National Weather Service to rehire 450 employees lost through Doge cuts and buyouts [9] - NOAA maintains commitment to delivering gold standard weather forecasting [10] - Rehires may take months, coinciding with the most active part of hurricane season [10] Historical Example - Hurricane Otis in 2023 intensified rapidly, more than doubling in strength in 37 hours, reaching 165 mph winds, causing nearly 100 deaths [6]