National Weather Service Struggles After DOGE Staff Cuts As Hurricane Season Arrives: ‘Our Worst Nightmare’

The National Weather Service (NWS) is under strain after losing hundreds of employees over the past few months. More than 550 workers out of 4,800 retired, were laid off, or accepted early exit offers following orders from the Trump Administration to cut staff and reorganize.

The departures included many experienced meteorologists. In the Eastern Region alone, employees report losing approximately 700 years of combined experience. With so many people gone, offices that usually run 24/7 are now shorthanded and some have reduced their hours or services.

The cuts were initiated by Elon Musk‘s Department Of Government Efficiency.

In Sacramento, the weather office is no longer staffed overnight. In Kansas, the Goodland office issues long-term forecasts only once a day, with the Dodge City office providing remote assistance. Several offices have also cut back or paused weather balloon launches, which collect important data used in forecasting.

To help, the NWS is offering current staff the chance to transfer to offices in need. Over 150 jobs are open, including more than 75 meteorology roles across the country, from Alaska to Florida. But officials say they have to be careful not to weaken other offices in the process.

Five former NWS directors issued a public letter in May warning that the staffing crisis could have serious consequences. “Our worst nightmare is that forecast offices will be so understaffed that there will be needless loss of life,” they wrote. “We know that’s a nightmare shared by those on the forecasting front lines—and by the people who depend on their efforts.”

A spokesperson for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which oversees the weather service, said the agency is still focused on keeping the public safe. But experts and former employees say that the staff who remain are stretched thin, and that the warning signs are becoming harder to ignore.