As part of a large-scale effort to reduce federal spending, the Trump Administration and its Department of Government Efficiency have targeted numerous agencies for budget cuts and staff reductions.
Among those agencies are the National Weather Service [NWS] and its parent agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [NOAA].
Trent Ford, the Illinois State Climatologist based at the University of Illinois’ Prairie Research Institute, says the cuts will have wide-ranging detrimental effects, limiting the ability to inform the public about threats from severe and high-impact weather.
“Whether you're a farmer, whether you are a backyard gardener or water manager, no matter who it is, we're all touched by the National Weather Service,” Ford said in an interview with WCBU. “That's just obvious by living any year in the central Illinois area and going through warnings and advisory periods of extreme weather.
“We depend – and frankly, we take for granted – the fact that we're going to get accurate and timely information about potential high impact weather. They are not only the front line, but pretty much the whole kit and caboodle when it comes to weather information and keeping us safe from extreme weather.”
Ford says his office works with NOAA and the NWS frequently, relying on data from the agencies to address such issues as drought conditions and other climate-related problems.
“Sometimes you can hear a narrative that that the National Weather Service is just the models and the forecast and the data, and I think that does a tremendous disservice to the people at the National Weather Service,” said Ford.
“Those National Weather Service scientists are constantly communicating with stakeholders all across the region. It's an invaluable asset, and it's really, really unfortunate to see what's going on right now.”
The arrival of meteorological spring at the start of March and the observance of Severe Weather Preparedness Week bring more attention to the timing of the cutbacks.
U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen, D-Moline, issued a statement last week calling the NOAA and NWS cuts “reckless” and saying they would put lives at risk.
“As a meteorologist for more than two decades, I depended on their work to provide accurate, life-saving weather reports for my neighbors,” said Sorensen, whose 17th District includes parts of Peoria and Bloomington-Normal.
“The greatest validation in my work was when people would tell me they stayed safe because of the information I gave them. Elon Musk doesn’t understand that weather forecasting is a public service that every American deserves, and that gutting these agencies will do irreparable harm.”
Employees at the NWS in Lincoln were unable to comment about the staffing situation. In an email to WCBU, a spokesperson with NWS Public Affairs said the agency has a long-standing practice of not discussing internal personnel and management matters.
The spokesperson added, “NOAA remains dedicated to its mission, providing timely information, research, and resources that serve the American public and ensure our nation’s environmental and economic resilience.”
A representative from Sorensen’s office said they are aware of at least six individuals who were let go from the NWS office in the Quad Cities. They did not provide any information about the Lincoln office.
Ford said it’s hard to predict exactly what kind of effect NWS staff reductions may have, but there most certainly will be impacts.
“The fact is that just like any workplace with fewer people, it doesn't mean that they're going to have fewer tasks,” said Ford. “And it certainly doesn't mean that the weather and extreme weather and things like climate change are going to stop. I mean, the weather really doesn't care how many people are staffing our National Weather Service offices; it's still going to happen.”
Ford notes that the NWS is especially important during significant complex weather events, from tornadoes, derechos and hailstorms to heavy rainfall, heat waves and droughts.
“We've had all of those kinds of hazards at different times in the year, and sometimes compounded,” he said. “So one potential impact is that with all of those things going on, it makes it hard for those offices to prioritize. So overall, the kinds of impacts, the things that we could see are disruptions in the quality and the and the timeliness of that information.”
Ford said the National Weather Service is already a model of efficiency, costing the average Illinois taxpayer only $4 per year. He said the federal cuts go beyond just NOAA and the NWS.
“It’s hard to understand to what end the cuts are made,” he said. “Before, we saw cuts to the USDA [Department of Agriculture] and Midwest Climate Hub, which works a lot with farmers and making sure that farmers can adapt to changing climate.
“Overall, I just say that what we're seeing with the National Weather Service and with NOAA and many other federal agencies is really concerning.”
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