US EditionDebate erupts over role job cuts played in weather forecasts ahead of deadly Texas floods
TEXAS, JUL 8 – Staffing cuts at the National Weather Service under the Trump administration may have impacted forecasting and coordination during the floods that caused over 80 deaths, officials and experts say.
- Devastating flash floods struck Texas Hill Country in 2025, killing over 80 people as the Guadalupe River rose 26 feet in 45 minutes.
- The disaster prompted debate about Trump administration job cuts at the National Weather Service, with Democrats linking staffing reductions to forecast risks.
- Experts, including former NWS directors, warned that layoffs of about 550 employees, more than 10% of staff, degrade forecast quality amid critical weather events.
- Commerce Secretary Lutnick refuted claims that meteorologists were dismissed and emphasized his commitment to maintaining public safety and the integrity of weather forecasting.
- The controversy reflects ongoing debate over federal versus state disaster roles as FEMA aids cleanup and the White House considers reassessing its FEMA phaseout plan.
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Trio of lawmakers, including U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen, seeks answers after Texas floods - IPM Newsroom
Illinois Newsroom - Sorensen is a former TV meteorologist and has proposed several bills pushing to maintain federal support within NOAA and the National Weather Service. The post Trio of lawmakers, including U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen, seeks answers after Texas floods appeared first on IPM Newsroom.
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An aerial view of flash flood damage along the banks of the Guadalupe River on July 11th in Kerrville, Texas. | Photo: Getty Images Flash floods have wrought more havoc in the US this week, from the Northeast to the Midwest, just weeks after swollen rivers took more than 130 lives across central Texas earlier this month. Frustrations have grown in the aftermath of that catastrophe over why more wasn't done to warn people in advance. Local offic…
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ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox.Nine months ago, Hurricane Helene barreled up from the Gulf of Mexico and slammed into the rugged mountains of western North Carolina, dumping a foot of ...
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