They Came for Climate Science. Then the Storms Came.
5 days ago
- #climate-science
- #NOAA-cuts
- #disaster-preparedness
- Rick Thoman's childhood passion for tracking weather led to a career in climate science.
- Thoman works at NOAA’s Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy, bridging climate science and local communities.
- Trump administration budget cuts threaten NOAA’s climate research, forecasting, and essential services.
- NOAA’s Arctic sea ice monitoring program faced termination but was temporarily saved by external data sources.
- Cuts to NOAA and other agencies weaken hurricane forecasting, disaster preparedness, and international collaborations.
- Reduced staffing at National Weather Service offices leads to less accurate local forecasts, particularly in Alaska.
- Scientists face job instability, with many leaving or being forced out, eroding institutional knowledge.
- International climate data-sharing networks, crucial for global forecasting, are at risk due to U.S. funding cuts.
- Disaster response agencies like FEMA suffer from leadership gaps and delayed emergency responses.
- Thoman remains committed to his work despite political challenges, emphasizing the importance of climate science for communities.