Federal lawmaker not happy with cuts to National Weather Service

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — After a slew of controversial layoffs, the National Weather Service (NWS) is hiring once again.

However, one federal lawmaker says it is like putting a Band-Aid over a massive cut.

Alongside a former meteorologist, they say that with it being the middle of severe weather season, and as we enter hurricane and wildfire season, not having a full staff is detrimental.

"We are very concerned about the administration's slashing of a workforce that is essential for weather forecasting," U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) said.

There is growing worry over the National Weather Service's ability to forecast life-threatening weather following massive job cuts.

"With more than 560 staff lost, that is a 33% reduction from typical staffing levels, leaving many weather forecast offices across the nation critically understaffed," Cantwell said.

She worries this will put lives in danger.

"Last year, there was 27 weather disaster events that cost taxpayers at least $1 billion, that totaled a total of $183 billion and resulted in 568 deaths," Cantwell said.

Retired meteorologist Jeff Renner says cuts could also hurt local weather broadcasts, which often rely on the NWS.

"The weather segment of a television news broadcast is probably the first or second most watched element of a newscast," Renner said. "We are seeing a move toward some stations that are seeking to outsource the production and even the presentation of those weather elements, which means a loss of local knowledge."

Cantwell says her state has experienced that.

"We had an incident in our state where we didn't have a local meteorologist, and people went out in the wrong conditions and we lost lives," Cantwell said.

This week, the Trump Administration said it was partially lifting a hiring freeze to hire 126 people in order to "stabilize operations" at the National Weather Service.

Cantwell says that is not enough.

"That forecasting information literally saves lives," Cantwell said. "So, we need the National Weather Service to be appropriately staffed and funded, and appropriate people to give us life-saving information that we need."

Cantwell adds the hiring freeze will continue to cripple the NWS, which she says will ultimately put millions in harms way of dangerous weather.