The National Weather Service (NWS) is in a precarious situation regarding the securing of essential personnel, including forecasters and meteorologists. As regional offices, which play a 'forward base' role in various disaster responses, face a potential paralysis due to a labor shortage, the NWS has begun a large-scale recruitment effort using an unprecedented approach that includes support for previous expenses.
According to internal documents obtained by The Washington Post (WP) on the 15th (local time), the NWS plans to fill 155 vacancies by the 27th. The recruitment targets reportedly include 76 general forecasters and managerial-level meteorologists, along with a significant number of technicians and analysts required to operate the 122 regional offices nationwide.
Currently, NWS offices across the United States are experiencing severe personnel shortages. Regional offices of the NWS play a central role not only in weather forecasting that reflects local climate characteristics but also in formulating disaster response strategies, such as school closure decisions and evacuation routes. In principle, the NWS should operate 24 hours a day, but due to staff shortages, some regional offices are closing at night or shutting down entirely.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Weather Service Employees Union, the Lake Charles office in Louisiana has vacancies for a supervisor and two head meteorologists, while the Fairbanks office in Alaska is short five meteorologists. The Hanford office in California has also been hindered in its operations due to a lack of four meteorologists and an IT staff member. NOAA is also seeking to hire an additional four meteorologists in Guam.
Concerns are growing as unusual weather patterns overlap with hurricane season. In response to the urgent situation, NOAA is taking emergency measures to transfer personnel to regional offices in Alaska, Nebraska, and Wyoming. WP reported, citing multiple current and former officials, that if personnel transfers do not occur, key functions of regional offices, such as aviation forecasting and weather observation instrument launches, may be disrupted.
According to officials, it is unusual for the NWS to support personnel transfers, including previous expenses. Kim Doster, a NOAA spokesperson, noted that 'payment of transfer expenses is standard practice,' but support for widespread personnel movement is extremely rare, according to industry sources.
The backdrop to this situation is the government reorganization led by the Donald Trump administration. According to WP, approximately 500 NWS employees have been fired or retired early this year alone, which amounts to 12% of the staff count (about 4,200) prior to President Trump's inauguration.
Moreover, there are predictions that recruitment may be virtually impossible due to the Trump administration's effective 'hiring freeze' that has been in place since January. Doster said, 'We will actively review various recruitment authorities to fill key positions.'
Congress is also aware of the gravity of the situation. During a hearing held on the 13th, Representative Zoe Lofgren, a Democrat, stated, 'The current workforce vacancy situation could have serious consequences,' adding, 'We are struggling to address the staffing issues.'
Brian Lamare, the former director of the Tampa NWS office in Florida for 17 years, said, 'It is positive that the administration recognizes the risks of workforce reductions.' However, he cautioned that 'if efficiency is pursued exclusively, the NWS could be rendered ineffective in an instant.'