NOAA cuts spark concern ahead of above-normal hurricane season, former official warns
As NOAA predicts an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season in 2025, concerns are mounting over the agency's ability to respond following hundreds of staff losses due to layoffs and early retirements.
Forecasters expect between 13 and 19 named storms, including 6 to 10 hurricanes with as many as 5 potentially reaching Category 3 strength or higher.
NOAA former employee reacts
"The cutbacks were at a level never seen before," said John Cortinas, who retired in February as deputy assistant administrator for science within NOAA's research center in Virginia Key.
Cortinas joined a group of forecasters last month in Miami to protest the staffing cuts. He warned that reduced personnel could slow the development of precise hurricane modeling — work he was directly involved in.
"You don't have as accurate a model as you could," he said. "So when it comes to something like evacuations on the coast with a more precise model, it's much less costly if you evacuate five miles of coast instead of ten miles."
NOAA responds, says hiring efforts underway
In response to concerns, NOAA's National Weather Service (NWS) said it is actively working to address staffing shortages.
"NOAA leadership is taking steps to address those who took a voluntary early retirement option," the agency said in a statement. "NWS continues to conduct short-term Temporary Duty assignments (TDYs), and is in the process of conducting a series of Reassignment Opportunity Notices (RONs) to fill roles at NWS field locations with the greatest operational need."
The agency added that a targeted number of permanent, mission-critical field positions will soon be advertised under an exception to the department-wide hiring freeze "to further stabilize frontline operations."
