Weather service faces hurricane season with less experienced staff, missing data

The National Weather Service is heading into hurricane season with a workforce that includes many new, less experienced employees, a situation that has raised concerns among former staff. The agency is actively hiring to fill hundreds of predominantly entry-level positions, a year after significant job cuts and buyouts under the Trump administration led to the departure of approximately 15% of its workforce.

Veteran meteorologists acknowledge that staff turnover is natural but emphasize the importance of an organized transition. "It's meant to be done in an organized process, where the new people coming in have the benefit of working for a period with people who are experienced and can help train them and build up their expertise," said Alan Gerard, a meteorologist with 35 years of experience at the weather service who retired early last year.

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Obviously, people retiring and new people coming up is a natural part of any business or agency. But it's meant to be done in an organized process, where the new people coming in have the benefit of working for a period with people who are experienced and can help train them and build up their expertise.

Federal employment data reveals that staffing gaps have persisted. As of May, NOAA had nearly 300 fewer meteorologists and hydrologists compared to January 2025. While this data encompasses various NOAA subagencies, meteorologists and hydrologists are crucial for the research that underpins forecasting operations. The loss of specialized forecast experience, particularly in regions like Alaska, has been described as "a really bad thing" by Rick Thoman, a climate specialist and former 30-year weather service meteorologist.

Hurricane season began on June 1, coinciding with periods of peak severe weather events like tornadoes, flash flooding, and wildfires across the United States. The staffing vacancies are seen by some in the industry as potentially impeding the collection of vital data needed for accurate extreme weather predictions, a critical concern during these busy months.

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the loss of specialized forecast experience in his state due to last year's job cuts 'has been a really bad thi