Hurricane Impact & Response - Hurricane Aaron brought strong winds and powerful waves to the East Coast, impacting areas from North Carolina's Outer Banks to Southern New England [1][2][4] - Storm surges caused floodwaters on Hatteras Island, washing out neighborhood streets and requiring crews to repair flattened sand dunes [2] - Double red flags were posted along the Outer Banks, warning people to stay out of the water [3] - A state of emergency was declared in New Jersey due to flooding on Long Beach Island [4] NOAA Staffing & Operations - Staffing cuts and administrative leave within NOAA, including hundreds of employees affected by buyouts, are impacting the agency's ability to forecast storms [5] - An NOAA employee was placed on administrative leave after involvement in a report concerning the "Sharpiegate" incident, which involved the alteration of Hurricane Dorian's forecasted path [6][10] - The administrative leave is potentially tied to cautioning against rapid changes to NOAA's systems, emphasizing the importance of methodical implementation to avoid disrupting critical services [12][13] Satellite & Information Services - NOAA's satellite and information service (NESDIS) provides operational information used daily by weather forecasters and emergency managers [14][15] - A planned reduction in the scope of a mission includes removing an atmospheric composition instrument, which would measure air quality and smoke content during major fire events [17][18] - The removal of the atmospheric composition instrument will result in less information for communities planning for bad weather and air quality days [19] Data Collection & Analysis - The dismantling of programs within NOAA, including a billion-dollar disaster registry, makes it more difficult to assess the full cost and impact of disasters [20] - Data collection continues, but the ability to synthesize and understand the interconnectedness of the data is diminished due to lack of personnel [21][22] - NOAA employees are dedicated to providing information for people to live their lives better and want to focus on their mission without distractions [24]