Meteorologist John Morales Warns NWS Cuts Could Leave Florida in the Dark This Hurricane Season [Video]

When a respected voice in South Florida’s weather scene speaks up, you listen. And longtime meteorologist John Morales isn’t sugarcoating the forecast this time. During a recent segment on NBC 6, Morales issued a chilling warning: South Florida’s weather predictions might not be as reliable this year—and that could spell real trouble as hurricane season kicks into gear.

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Morales, who’s been a trusted face in the region for over three decades, says staffing shortages at National Weather Service offices are so bad, meteorologists might be forced to make guesses without critical data. According to him, NWS offices across Central and South Florida—from Tampa to Key West—are running 20% to 40% below the necessary staffing levels.

And it gets worse. Fewer staff means fewer weather balloons are launched, which are essential for collecting atmospheric data. Morales also hinted that hurricane hunter aircraft—those vital planes that fly into storms to gauge their strength—might be grounded this year due to lack of resources. That could leave entire communities unprepared.

“This year, I can’t make the same confident calls I’ve made in past hurricane seasons,” Morales said on-air. “We could be flying blind.”

These problems all trace back to major federal budget cuts that slashed funding for the National Weather Service and NOAA. Morales is urging viewers to speak out and push their local representatives to reverse the cuts before the storms come rolling in.

Bottom line: If South Florida is going to stay safe this hurricane season, we need forecasts we can trust—and right now, those are in short supply.