Trump admin to rehire hundreds of meteorologists fired under DOGE
What's the story
The Trump administration is allowing the US National Weather Service (NWS) to reinstate the majority of the hundreds of jobs eliminated by the cost-cutting Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which was previously helmed by Elon Musk. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which oversees the NWS, announced plans to hire 450 new meteorologists, hydrologists, and radar technicians, including 126 positions that were previously approved, US representatives Mike Flood and Eric Sorensen said in a joint statement.
Job protection
Legislation introduced to protect new hires from future layoffs
Flood and Sorensen have also introduced legislation to protect these newly hired positions from future layoffs by reclassifying them as positions critical to public safety. The lawmakers said they welcomed the decision but stressed on the need for their bill's passage to ensure job security. "Hundreds of unfilled positions have caused NWS offices across the country to cancel weather balloon launches," Sorensen said, highlighting operational challenges due to staffing shortages.
Operational challenges
Staffing shortages raise concerns about accurate weather forecasting
The staffing shortages at NWS have had a serious impact on its operations. Due to the lack of personnel, several weather balloon launches were canceled and overnight staffing was skipped. This has raised concerns about the agency's ability to forecast severe weather events accurately and timely. The issue came into sharp focus after flash floods in Texas Hill Country last month killed at least 137 people.
Flood impact
Investigation called into potential impact of staffing shortages
Last month, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer called for an investigation into whether staffing vacancies at NWS's San Antonio office affected forecasting accuracy during the Texas floods. According to CNN, layoffs and early retirement "buyouts" had cut the NWS workforce by more than 550 positions from before Trump's second term, leaving fewer than 4,000 employees.