Weather Service Scrambles to Rehire After Trump-Era Cuts Crippled Forecasting

The National Weather Service (NWS) is finally bringing back the meteorologists, radar techs, and hydrologists it lost after the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) led mass layoffs earlier this year. The staff cuts, part of the Trump administration’s second-term budget strategy, left forecasting systems across the country struggling to keep up.

Offices in storm-prone regions like the Gulf Coast and Puerto Rico were hit hard, with some seeing vacancy rates soar past 20 percent. The impact wasn’t just bureaucratic. When powerful storms flooded Texas and killed over 80 people, many pointed to the forecasting delays caused by these layoffs as a contributing factor.

Now the federal government is reversing course. NOAA has been approved to rehire 450 positions, including 126 front-line jobs at the Weather Service. With hurricane season in full swing, this hiring push is being treated as an emergency. Neil Jacobs, President Trump’s nominee to lead NOAA, says his goal is to get forecasting back to full strength with a focus on local communities.

Earlier this year, around 880 NOAA employees were cut in one sweep. That included roles at the Weather Service, National Hurricane Center, and Environmental Modeling Center. The move was framed as a federal cost-saving measure, but the fallout revealed deeper issues. The public saw fewer alerts, slower warnings, and a breakdown in coordination during extreme weather events.

Weather experts say the previous cuts drained the agency of experience and left many communities more vulnerable. Even with the rehiring plan, the agency still faces budget challenges. Trump’s 2026 proposal calls for slashing NOAA’s funding by up to 40 percent, threatening its long-term ability to serve the public.

The Weather Service is now trying to repair the damage before the next disaster hits. Whether these changes will be enough depends on how much support the agency gets going forward. Forecasting is back on the radar, but trust will take longer to rebuild.