Restore funding for weather forecasts — they save lives
The NYS Mesonet website showing weather data collection centers in the state. Credit: NYS Mesonet/University at Albany
Recent cuts by the federal government to weather forecasting programs will put Long Islanders at risk.
Storms are increasing in intensity as the Earth warms. We need more research, not less, to mitigate damage and protect life and property. Cutting research won’t improve the forecasting needed by local governments and emergency services when an extreme weather event unfolds.
The Department of Homeland Security this month cut a $3 million grant to New York's early warning weather system, a shortsighted move that will likely degrade the state's ability to accurately forecast extreme weather events. The New York State Mesonet, housed at the University of Albany, is a network of 127 weather stations in every corner of the state, including Wantagh, Stony Brook and Southold. The system "collects, archives, and processes data in real time every 5 minutes, feeding weather prediction models and decision-support tools for users across the greater New York region," according to the group’s website. Knowing when and where a dangerous weather event will strike can save lives and property.
The federal budget calls for a 27% cut to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the agency that provides storm warnings and weather forecasts. And on July 31, NOAA will stop getting satellite data from the Department of Defense because of cybersecurity concerns. Forecasters have said the satellite data is crucial for making accurate hurricane forecasts.
The federal government in April announced $325 million in cuts to the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities Program for projects in New York State that would help protect vulnerable communities from storms. According to a lawsuit filed by 20 states, including New York, to stop the federal government from terminating BRIC, nearly 2,000 projects over the past four years were selected in every state to receive $4.5 billion for pre-disaster projects. The lawsuit says "each dollar spent on mitigation saves an average of $6 in post-disaster costs."
According to Gov. Kathy Hochul, since 2024, New York has faced 38 tornadoes; 20 brush fires and wildfires; 20 significant rainfall events; two tropical storms; and broken 19 snowfall records. On July 14, 2.07 inches of rain fell in Central Park in one hour, making it the second-highest one-hour rainfall total ever there.
A host of elected officials are fighting to restore the money. Sen. Chuck Schumer is urging DHS head Kristi Noem to reinstate the $3 million for Mesonet. More than 80 senators and representatives wrote a letter to Noem seeking the reinstatement of BRIC money.
A key lesson after the July 4 Texas flood, Noem said during a visit to the stricken area, was the need for upgraded alert systems and coordination between agencies and layers of government. Improving the Mesonet systems in every state is key to that effort.
Slash waste and save money elsewhere in the federal budget. Keep programs that are effective at saving lives.
MEMBERS OF THE EDITORIAL BOARD are experienced journalists who offer reasoned opinions, based on facts, to encourage informed debate about the issues facing our community.
