California Democrats Urge Return of National Weather Service Staff

California House Democrats have urged the National Weather Service (NWS) to reinstate terminated employees and initiate the hiring of new forecasters, following the suspension of 24-hour operations for weather predictions in Sacramento and Hanford.

In a letter addressed to deputy administrators of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Howard Luttonick and Commerce Secretary Laura Grimm, 23 Congressional Democrats criticized recent reductions in weather services, warning that it signals the onset of a public safety crisis with serious implications. The Weather Services division falls under NOAA, which is managed by the Department of Commerce.

“We demand the immediate reinstatement of all workers who have been terminated in these offices, the lifting of the federal employment freeze at NWS, and the establishment of adequate staffing at the Sacramento and Hanford weather forecasting offices to maintain their 24/7 operations,” the council members stated.

Since January, over 500 staff members from the Weather Bureau have departed the agency due to widespread layoffs initiated by the Trump administration, targeting many probationary positions. As a result, approximately 43% of the nation’s 122 weather offices are operating with staffing levels exceeding 20%. Independent meteorologists caution that these cuts may lead to delays in weather predictions and warnings, raising public safety concerns that have pressured the administration.

Legislators from California noted that the weather forecasting offices in Hanford and Sacramento were particularly hard hit, compromising their ability to provide continuous staffing around the clock.

“Currently, the Sacramento office has seven vacant meteorologist positions out of 16, while the Hanford office is short eight out of 13. Both offices are functioning at half their capacity as they approach the peak of wildfire season,” the letter states. “If the NWS Weather Forecast Offices in Sacramento and Hanford cannot monitor overnight conditions across the entire Central Valley, it jeopardizes the safety of our residents.”

The Weather Bureau typically provides meteorologists to assist firefighters during the wildfire season.

“This is an imprudent and unwarranted risk that does not serve the American public,” the letter declared. “Halving the staffing levels in offices responsible for forecasting wildfires, atmospheric rivers, and natural disasters endangers lives and undermines government efficiency.”

NOAA communications director Kim Doster reaffirmed that the NWS is dedicated to prioritizing public safety.

“The National Weather Service continues to fulfill its core mission amidst recent restructuring and is taking measures to prioritize critical research and services necessary for keeping American citizens safe and informed,” Doster stated in an email.

The Hanford office of the Weather Bureau is situated in the San Joaquin Valley, not far from the site of the longstanding Lake Tulare reconstruction in 2023.

The Central Valley region is responsible for producing 40% of the country’s fruits and nuts, according to the US Geological Survey. Farmers in the Central Valley depend on accurate forecasts for making informed decisions about planting, irrigation, and harvesting.

In the meantime, Sacramento forecasters are predicting extreme heat and a heightened risk of wildfires this weekend, indicating an early onset of the wildfire season.

Representative Jim Costa, who represents parts of the San Joaquin Valley and has received forecasts from the Hanford office, facilitated a letter to NOAA. Other notable signatories include Councillors Nancy Pelosi, Eric Swalwell, and Doris Matsui, amongst the 22 others.

Pressure has been mounting for months, calling for reductions in weather services.

One external meteorologist reported that weather balloon launches have been curtailed to about 12 understaffed offices, noting that missed balloon releases hinder better understanding of tornado risks during thunderstorm events near Omaha, Nebraska.

Following this incident, Nebraska Representative Mike Flood intervened with the administration and obtained additional forecasters temporarily assigned to an office near Omaha.

Earlier this month, five former directors of the Weather Bureau cautioned that further staffing cuts could lead to unnecessary fatalities.

“Our greatest fear is that the weather offices are severely understaffed, resulting in unnecessary loss of life,” wrote a former superintendent who served from 1988 to 2022.

NOAA has attempted to address the staffing shortage by temporarily reallocating personnel to fill gaps in the workforce and exploring more permanent reallocations within the agency.

Approximately two weeks ago, NOAA considered transferring 76 meteorologists and a total of 155 staff members to play a vital role.