Widespread Layoffs Hit National Weather Service

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and its National Weather Service division are reeling from a wave of federal job cuts, prompting outcry from scientists and environmentalists who warn of dire consequences for public safety.

On Thursday, termination notices went out to roughly 650 NOAA staff members—about 5% of its U.S.-based workforce—according to sources in the White House and Congress. The layoffs affected personnel across the agency’s diverse operations, including teams dedicated to weather prediction, ocean conservation, climate research, fisheries management, and atmospheric and space studies.

The LA Times reports Rep. Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael), the top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, condemned the move, stating, “NOAA’s free, reliable forecasts, severe weather warnings, and emergency updates are a lifeline for people across the country. Gutting the government of its scientists, specialists, and dedicated civil servants while slashing core programs will put lives at risk.”

NOAA, which oversees the National Weather Service, National Hurricane Center, and Tsunami Warning Center, is among several federal agencies facing reductions under the Trump administration. An administration official, speaking anonymously, defended the NOAA cuts as part of a broader effort to streamline operations while preserving “mission-critical functions” required by law, claiming that most weather service meteorologists were spared. However, reports from KQED confirmed that some Weather Service employees, including in California, were among those let go.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) slammed the layoffs as a politically motivated attack masquerading as efficiency reform, pledging to fight what he described as “illegal firings” through legal action.