Students and politicians react to recent layoffs in the National Weather Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Read our extensive coverage at oudaily.com:
On Feb. 26, 2023, an EF2 tornado touched down in East Norman, causing widespread damage, road closure and resulting in at least 12 weather-related injuries.
Meteorologists and climate scientists from the National Weather Center were crucial to issuing the storm warnings that helped Norman residents seek shelter. The next day, the National Weather Service in Norman conducted damage path surveys to assess the extent of the storm.
Two years later, employees at the National Weather Center are facing layoffs.
Thursday afternoon, probationary employees and meteorology students employed at the National Weather Center and the National Weather Service received emails that their employment was being terminated as part of a nationwide mass layoff strategy proposed by the Department of Government Efficiency.
SeanPaul Padilla, a meteorology sophomore, said the work of National Weather Center employees was crucial to the efficient and accurate alerts that warned the Norman community of the EF2 tornado.
“If we get understaffed, if we get underfunded, that may not happen anymore because of potential cuts,” Padilla said.
The layoffs follow nationwide cuts occurring at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, one of the world’s top climate science and weather forecasting agencies. According to The New York Times, the cuts are expected to cost the jobs of more than 800 people out of a total of about 13,000 staff members.
— Hannah Cavender🌪 (@HannahC_WX) February 28, 2025
An anonymous employee who works for NOAA’s Norman location told OU Daily they estimated roughly 15 to 20 employees were fired in Norman.
The anonymous employee could not speak to how offices related to tornado events would be impacted by the cuts, but they could guarantee that National Weather Service employees will do everything they can to fulfill their mission.
OU Daily reached out to NOAA for a statement regarding the layoffs and if the cuts would impact the issuance of severe weather alerts.
Susan Buchanan, a spokesperson for NOAA, wrote in an email that, according to long-standing practice, the agency does not discuss internal personnel and management matters.
“NOAA remains dedicated to its mission, providing timely information, research, and resources that serve the American public and ensure our nation’s environmental and economic resilience,” Buchanan wrote. “We continue to provide weather information, forecasts and warnings pursuant to our public safety mission.”
Noah Schneiderman, a meteorology sophomore, said as of now, offices should still be staffed well enough to handle severe weather outbreaks, but if cuts continue, people may begin to see drops in forecast accuracy or lead times for tornado warnings. Lead times refer to the amount of time between when a weather forecast is issued and when the predicted weather event is expected to occur.
“Eventually, if these cuts worsen, the quality of NOAA services and the NWS services like weather warnings and forecasts and things that are really essential to everyday life will be affected,” Schneiderman said.
Schneiderman said these layoffs have created a lot of confusion for meteorology students.
The College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences is located within the National Weather Center and many students within the college participate in programs and transition into employment with the center. The center also houses the National Weather Service and the Storm Prediction Center, among other NOAA offices.
Schneiderman said this situation has created a great sense of uncertainty for meteorology students.
“A lot of us students feel a little bit betrayed by the government because these have been institutions that have served the country for several decades and that many of us hope to eventually get a job in after we graduate,” Schneiderman said.
Padilla said he has many friends who are concerned about their futures.
“Many of my friends who are just graduating are also extremely concerned about their future career path,” Padilla said. “They don't know if they're going to have a job as they exit graduation and enter their career field. … I've always wanted to research after college, and I'm very concerned that's not even possible as I end my college career.”
Padilla said he’s hopeful that local legislators will speak up for the importance of NOAA’s work.
The NOAA cuts are not the first DOGE-proposed layoffs to threaten Oklahoma jobs. On Feb. 23, This is Topeka reported that 600 civil employees were set to be terminated from their jobs at Tinker Air Force Base the following day.
On Wednesday, Gov. Kevin Stitt said the reported layoffs were “just rumors” after the layoffs did not occur when This is Topeka reported they would.
If the terminations go through, Stitt pledged to assist the former employees in finding new jobs.
“As a state, we’re going to do everything we can to help those guys, if that does happen, or ladies, find new employment here in Oklahoma,” Stitt said.
Stitt has not said anything publicly about the National Weather Center layoffs.
OU Daily reached out to Stitt’s office for comment about the National Weather Center Friday morning but did not receive a response by the time of this article’s publication.
“I really hope Gov. Stitt does take us in priority because we are a matter of national security and public safety. … We are able to protect so many lives because of the National Weather Service and NOAA,” Padilla said. “This is something that is far beyond just science and meteorology, but just impacts so many other things, including public safety and national security.”
This story was edited by Peggy Dodd, Ismael Lele and Ana Barboza. Mary Ann Livingood copy edited this story.
