NEWS: Sens. Schiff, Padilla Urge Trump Administration to Reverse Devastating Cuts to Federal Weather Forecasting and Snowpack Monitoring Services

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla (both D-Calif.) pushed the Trump administration to reverse its shortsighted staff cuts and harmful reductions to critical weather forecasting services and snowpack surveys at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). With an atmospheric river bearing down on California through Christmas, which has already caused severe flooding in Redding, the Senators raised the alarm that these dangerous cuts will restrict California's preparation for dangerous storms and floods - threatening public safety, property, and agriculture - while damaging the state's water supply.

Due to the Trump administration's mass staff firings and other staff reductions, River Forecasting Centers have been forced to consolidate duties and shift roles away from consistent monitoring in specific local areas to more general ones. These unprecedented staffing cuts have also led to reduced overnight operations, less frequent collection of comprehensive data, and delays in severe weather warnings, while straining California's state-federal partnerships that are necessary for forecasting, snowpack monitoring, and snow surveys. Schiff and Padilla warned that California National Weather Service (NWS) scientists are now simultaneously monitoring multiple flood-prone regions outside their normal coverage areas due to these cuts, which could limit critical written forecasts.

"We are gravely concerned that diminished services within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture pose unnecessary risks to California lives and property and harm the state's ability to prepare for dangerous storms and floods and to provide essential water," wrote the California Senators. "We write to ask you to reconsider these reductions for the safety and well-being of Californians, and the many Americans that depend on timely weather and water services and forecasting."

The relentless rainfall from the atmospheric river currently hitting California shows how dangerous it is to weaken these warning systems. The staff cuts at the California-Nevada River Forecast Center and other weather forecast offices in California hinder their ability to provide flood risk warnings, impairing timely evacuation orders and emergency resource positioning.

The Senators stressed that cuts to NWS' forecasting services could also impact airplanes and ships that depend on storm prediction, as well as farmers' planting and harvesting decisions, which depend on seasonal forecasts. Additionally, the Senators voiced serious concerns that these cuts will limit California's ability to accurately conduct snow surveys to properly manage the state's water supply. They warned that this forecasting gap will further impact the state's nationally leading agriculture industry, while undermining drought preparation.

"Staff cuts and regional consolidation of duties away from these important actions will severely impact the ability to perform snow surveys in as many as one third of the State's watersheds, leaving a fundamental gap in the data needed for supply forecasting," continued the Senators. "Lacking this data not only severely undercuts the State's ability to properly plan and manage the water resources for Southern California, the Bay Area, and the Central Valley's agricultural industry, it also debilitates our ability to prepare for the critical needs of communities in years of drought."

During an active fire season this summer, Senators Schiff and Padilla demanded that the Trump administration reverse the staffing cuts at California NWS offices, which jeopardize critical weather services that people rely on during disasters.

The full text of the letter can be found here and below:

Dear Secretary Rollins and Secretary Lutnick,

We are gravely concerned that diminished services within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture pose unnecessary risks to California lives and property and harm the state's ability to prepare for dangerous storms and floods and to provide essential water. We write to ask you to reconsider these reductions for the safety and well-being of Californians, and the many Americans that depend on timely weather and water services and forecasting.

For decades, the State of California and the federal government have worked in partnership to produce forecasts and collect water supply data essential to California's capacity to protect people and property from dangerous flooding. However, in recent months, unprecedented staffing cuts at your agencies have strained this vital partnership and greatly diminished the joint state-federal responsibility to perform essential forecasting functions and conduct snowpack monitoring and a significant amount of snow surveys as planned.

There have been several reports about the continued impacts and dangers of staffing shortages, including reduced overnight operations, less frequent collection of comprehensive data, and delays in severe weather warnings. An article in the San Francisco Chronicle further highlighted that weather service scientists in California are currently having to simultaneously monitor multiple flood-prone areas beyond their usually assigned regions due to vacancies. This could force staff to cut back on the frequency of written forecasts, which are typically issued every six hours during winter storms.

Cuts to National Weather Service operations within NOAA pose considerable risks. Staffing cuts to the Weather Service's observations and forecasting capabilities could have ramifications for airplanes that can't fly without accurate weather observations and forecasts, and ships that rely on storm forecasts to avoid dangerous high seas. Farmers also rely on seasonal forecasts to plant and harvest. Additionally, staffing reductions at the California-Nevada River Forecast Center (CNRFC) and weather forecast offices in California could pose serious threats to public safety. River forecast center employees save lives by providing advanced warning of flood risks, which is essential information used by emergency managers to issue timely evacuations and position emergency resources in advance of disaster.

Additionally, federal agency staffing reductions will impact the State's ability to conduct all of the snow surveys needed this winter to accurately forecast the State's water supply. The State has a long history of collaboration with federal, state, and local agencies to collect key snow data that is essential to forecast California's water supply each year. Historically, the United States Forest Service, National Park Service, and Natural Resources Conservation Service have participated in the data collection. Staff cuts and regional consolidation of duties away from these important actions will severely impact the ability to perform snow surveys in as many as one third of the State's watersheds, leaving a fundamental gap in the data needed for supply forecasting. Lacking this data not only severely undercuts the State's ability to properly plan and manage the water resources for Southern California, the Bay Area, and the Central Valley's agricultural industry, it also debilitates our ability to prepare for the critical needs of communities in years of drought.

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