Now Neil Jacobs, President Donald Trump’s pick to run the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which oversees NWS, says that he’ll make “staffing the Weather Service offices a top priority” if he’s confirmed.

In May, the Trump administration proposed a 25% cut to the NOAA's current annual budget of $6.1 billion. This will be implemented in the financial year 2026, which starts in October of this year

Some experts say staff shortages might have complicated forecasters’ ability to coordinate responses with local emergency management officials.