On Thursday, hundreds of weather forecasters and other federal employees from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) who were on probationary status were dismissed, according to lawmakers and weather experts.
The layoffs primarily impacted meteorologists responsible for important local forecasts at National Weather Service offices nationwide.
The cuts at NOAA appeared to occur in two phases, with one group of about 500 employees and another group of approximately 800, as reported by Craig McLean, a former NOAA chief scientist. This represents around 10% of NOAA’s total workforce.
The initial round of firings targeted probationary employees, including about 375 individuals in the National Weather Service, which is responsible for daily forecasting and issuing hazard warnings.
These layoffs are part of broader efforts led by billionaire Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency to reduce the size of the federal workforce, which former President Donald Trump had criticized as bloated and inefficient. Thousands of probationary federal employees across various agencies have already been dismissed.
Rep. Grace Meng, D-N.Y., issued a statement condemning the layoffs, saying, “Today, hundreds of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) employees, including weather forecasters at the National Weather Service (NWS), were unjustly terminated. This is unacceptable.”
Rep. Grace Meng expressed concern over the layoffs, stating, “These are dedicated, hardworking Americans whose efforts help save lives and protect property from the severe effects of natural disasters across the nation. This action will only jeopardize American lives in the future.”
Rep. Jared Huffman, a California Democrat and ranking minority member of the House Natural Resources Committee, also criticized the firings, noting that “hundreds of scientists and experts at NOAA” were dismissed.
Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at UCLA, shared his concerns on social media, calling the cuts “spectacularly short-sighted” and warning that they would severely harm public safety and the American economy’s ability to withstand climate and weather-related disasters.