This was posted on FB by a mutual whw friend who is also a meteorologist.
Staffing shortages at NWS offices across the U.S. are limiting weather balloon launches. Some locations, like Albany, NY, and Kotzebue, AK, won’t have any launches, while Gray, ME, will have reduced launches on certain shifts. A private company is stepping in to help by launching its own weather balloons.
—-
Weather balloon launches, also known as upper-air soundings, are crucial for accurate local forecasts because they provide real-time data on atmospheric conditions, including temperature, humidity, pressure, and wind speed at different altitudes.
Without these regular observations, forecast accuracy can decline, making it harder to predict storms and other weather events reliably.
*** PLEASE NOTE***
-Some offices were already understaffed.
-Some probationary employees were terminated in late Feb 2025. This includes those who had a change of department.
-Some employees have been reinstated to their roles.
-Some employees have been asked to resign and take a 25k buyout.
-Some employees have not accepted the 25k and others have.
This is still fluid.
Thanks Vicki. So sad this is happening.
The cuts at NOAA, NIH, EPA are quite severe.
Environmental scientists in particular are being targeted. Job offers rescinded; research projects scuttled. I know of two young scientists who have decided to pack up and leave the United States and head for Europe (one is going to Spain; the other to Denmark).
In other news, I am reading about the awful consequences of slash-and-burn policies within the federal government. These are the kinds of stories I’m hearing from top scientists across the nation. I will share with you this blurb that appeared on Linkedin:
“I never would have dreamed that this could happen to me, but it just did. I am a professor and ophthalmologist who specializes in infection and inflammation affecting the eyes. My research group has been studying how the shingles vaccine impacts shingles in the eye using real-world data. We have no agenda. We just want to understand the safety and effectiveness of this relatively new vaccine. Now we can’t continue this work.”
Dr. Acharya’s subordinates are losing their jobs, similar to my son at Harvard, by the way.
America is in some ways reverting to the dark ages regarding science and the scientific enterprise.
As I’ve said before on this blog, I can’t stay in this country. It’s sad because there are many wonderful things about the U.S. But it’s an unrecognizable nation to me at this point. I hope to get a permanent visa to the UK within the next few years. My son will also have to go, likely to the Netherlands, driven out by DOGE zealots. He’s been involved in research examining disparities in health outcomes across different sub-populations. A no-no, according to Trump and his minions. My daughter is already overseas for good.
Thank you, Joshua. The news gets more worrisome by the minute.
It is indeed.
I’m not an alarmist. But this assault on science is alarming.
One also has to keep in mind that the “savings” gained from doing what DOGE is doing are REALLY minuscule. They’re not moving the needle. For the latter to happen, DOGE would need to slash entitlement programs – not that I am advocating that – and defense.
I also want to let people know that many of the people fired or having their research projects terminated are dedicated to their profession, not for monetary reasons but for the love of science. You don’t earn much as an academic or a government civil servant. But you dedicate yourself to the public good.
Repost of a related link posted in the regular blog…
I believe I heard over the weekend that a handful of weather balloons will be eliminated due to cuts. Is that correct?
Thanks TK.
Not TK of course but this is the notice.
https://ibb.co/FbBXxQmt
This was posted on FB by a mutual whw friend who is also a meteorologist.
Staffing shortages at NWS offices across the U.S. are limiting weather balloon launches. Some locations, like Albany, NY, and Kotzebue, AK, won’t have any launches, while Gray, ME, will have reduced launches on certain shifts. A private company is stepping in to help by launching its own weather balloons.
—-
Weather balloon launches, also known as upper-air soundings, are crucial for accurate local forecasts because they provide real-time data on atmospheric conditions, including temperature, humidity, pressure, and wind speed at different altitudes.
Without these regular observations, forecast accuracy can decline, making it harder to predict storms and other weather events reliably.
*** PLEASE NOTE***
-Some offices were already understaffed.
-Some probationary employees were terminated in late Feb 2025. This includes those who had a change of department.
-Some employees have been reinstated to their roles.
-Some employees have been asked to resign and take a 25k buyout.
-Some employees have not accepted the 25k and others have.
This is still fluid.
Thanks Vicki. So sad this is happening.
The cuts at NOAA, NIH, EPA are quite severe.
Environmental scientists in particular are being targeted. Job offers rescinded; research projects scuttled. I know of two young scientists who have decided to pack up and leave the United States and head for Europe (one is going to Spain; the other to Denmark).
In other news, I am reading about the awful consequences of slash-and-burn policies within the federal government. These are the kinds of stories I’m hearing from top scientists across the nation. I will share with you this blurb that appeared on Linkedin:
“I never would have dreamed that this could happen to me, but it just did. I am a professor and ophthalmologist who specializes in infection and inflammation affecting the eyes. My research group has been studying how the shingles vaccine impacts shingles in the eye using real-world data. We have no agenda. We just want to understand the safety and effectiveness of this relatively new vaccine. Now we can’t continue this work.”
Dr. Acharya’s subordinates are losing their jobs, similar to my son at Harvard, by the way.
America is in some ways reverting to the dark ages regarding science and the scientific enterprise.
As I’ve said before on this blog, I can’t stay in this country. It’s sad because there are many wonderful things about the U.S. But it’s an unrecognizable nation to me at this point. I hope to get a permanent visa to the UK within the next few years. My son will also have to go, likely to the Netherlands, driven out by DOGE zealots. He’s been involved in research examining disparities in health outcomes across different sub-populations. A no-no, according to Trump and his minions. My daughter is already overseas for good.
Thank you, Joshua. The news gets more worrisome by the minute.
It is indeed.
I’m not an alarmist. But this assault on science is alarming.
One also has to keep in mind that the “savings” gained from doing what DOGE is doing are REALLY minuscule. They’re not moving the needle. For the latter to happen, DOGE would need to slash entitlement programs – not that I am advocating that – and defense.
I also want to let people know that many of the people fired or having their research projects terminated are dedicated to their profession, not for monetary reasons but for the love of science. You don’t earn much as an academic or a government civil servant. But you dedicate yourself to the public good.
Repost of a related link posted in the regular blog…
https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/noaa-merges-climate-prediction-center-with-another-unit-reflecting-climate-anxiety/ar-AA1BMKwG?ocid=msedgntp&pc=DCTS&cvid=b6f7edd50677496bb9c4b7c5135e1495&ei=36