The National Weather Service is hosting virtual tropical training from Monday, July 21 – July 24th to help neighbors prepare this hurricane season.
The training comes amid lots of national discussions about cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. NOAA has requested around $1.5 billion less for fiscal year 2026, that includes a full time staffing cut of about 17%. The National Weather Service is one of the branches were they have requested a funding increase. Watch the video to find out how these discussions are impacting our local agency.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The National Hurricane Center and the National Weather Service are following a system in the topics, thats as discussions about budget cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration continue.
The National Weather Service in Tallahassee shares how theyre staying on top of weather this hurricane season, including ways theyre helping the community prepare too.
Budget cuts to NOAA and NWS have been a hot topic of conversation at the federal level.
ABC 27 spoke with Leon County Commissioner Rick Minor, who is currently in Philadelphia for the National Association of Counties Conference, where weather seems to be a priority.
“Just [Monday] morning, we voted on policy proposals that would urge Congress to strengthen FEMA and to protect the National Flood Insurance Program,” said Minor.
Minor said there is some good news for our area regarding the National Weather Service team.
“As of today, at least there have been no personnel cuts,” said Minor. “So that team of 10 people who take the weather data, analyze it, interpret it and then work very closely with our emergency management team, those folks are there and that’s very important.”
NOAA has requested a smaller budget of about $1.5 billion dollars for the fiscal year 2026, cutting full time staff by about 17%. According to the budget, NWS is the only branch where they have requested a funding increase compared to 2024.
“What many of us are afraid of is that the quality of that data and the quantity of that data that people need to understand how the weather is operating, it could be reduced to us,” said Minor.
While those discussions continue, Felicia Bowser, Meteorologist in Charge at National Weather Service Tallahassee said it doesn’t affect the work happening in our neighborhood.
“It doesn’t change for us,” said Bowser. “We’re always going to be here 24/7, no matter what’s happening in that realm of things here. So we’re going to continue to enhance our staffing when it comes to any type of impactful weather.”
Now in hurricane season, Bowser said their forecasters are constantly looking at computer models, and taking part in daily calls with the Hurricane Center.
“So we get to see what they’re thinking and their ideas and what not and then we translate that information to make sure it makes sense to our partners and, of course, the public,” said Bowser.
NOAA has predicted an above average season. Bowser said NOAA will reanalyze that prediction in August to provide an update.
NWS is hosting tropical training sessions that will start next week and run Monday through Friday with a different topic slated for each day. You can find more information and sign up here.
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