US EditionDefense Department Opts to Not End Satellite Data for Storm Forecasts
UNITED STATES, JUL 29 – The Department of Defense reversed a planned shutdown of satellite data critical for hurricane forecasting, ensuring NOAA retains access during peak Atlantic hurricane season.
- The U.S. Navy and NOAA reversed plans to cut off data from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program critical for hurricane forecasting as of July 31, 2025.
- The decision was reversed after widespread objections from weather experts and government representatives across the country, who were concerned about losing critical microwave satellite data during the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season.
- The DMSP satellites provide microwave imagery that reveals the internal structure and rapid intensification of storms, offering key data especially at night when visible imagery is unavailable.
- Meteorologist Scot Pilié said the loss of this data would have had immediate consequences, warning that “less data in means worse data out,” while NOAA confirmed data will remain accessible for now.
- While forecasters welcomed the decision as a temporary win, ongoing concerns about NOAA staffing, funding cuts, and future data availability suggest challenges remain for reliable hurricane forecasting.
24 Articles
24 Articles
Pentagon will continue providing hurricane satellite data after reversal
The Pentagon has backed away from plans to halt key satellite data used to track hurricanes, assuring forecasters that the feed will continue as aging satellites are phased out.Scott Dance reports for The Washington Post.In short:The Defense Meteorological Satellite Program will remain active until at least September 2026, providing continuous microwave data critical for detecting storm structure and wind patterns.The initial plan to cut the fee…
Who Needs 'Satellites' To Forecast Hurricanes When A 3-Pack Of Sharpies Is Only $4.99?
CIRA/NOAA satellite photo of Hurricane Helene, September 2024. (Photo is not from one of the Navy satellites discussed in this story.)Only a couple days before it was scheduled to cut off the feed from three Navy weather satellites that provide vital data for forecasting hurricanes, the Pentagon quietly let NOAA meteorologists know Tuesday that it would actually continue making the data available after all. Hooray, and also why the hell were the…
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