Data obtained by The Associated Press shows that close to half of the local National Weather Service forecast offices have 20% vacancy rates as severe weather chugs across the nation’s heartland.
  • Boddhisatva@lemmy.world
    4·
    3 days ago

    I watch a youtuber meteorologist named Ryan Hall (Ryan Hall Y’all). He does national general forecasts with a focus on more severe weather. When there are severe weather outbreaks, he goes live with other meteorologists and storm chasers to track everything going on. Notes where all the severe weather warnings and watches are, puts up traffic cams in effected regions, that kind of stuff. My point is, there have been a number of severe weather outbreaks in the last year, but in the last month or so, I’ve noticed that they keep saying things like, “I don’t know why there isn’t a warning for this area. That is a very clear tornado signature.” I can’t help but think that the cuts to the national weather service is already having an impact on how fast warnings are going out.

    • podperson@lemm.ee
      2·
      3 days ago

      Have seen a few of these and they are great (Michael Snyder for California and the PNW), but unfortunately they all get their data from the same place: NWS. They are the ones launching the balloons, collecting that data daily, and running weather models for everyone else to then interpret. Slashing the NWS is simply one of the most idiotic things to happen yet during this whole circus. Sorry - rant over (I fly paragliders so weather forecasts are important to my own self interests).