Staffing Struggles
The National Weather Service (NWS) faces significant staffing shortages due to budget cuts, impacting its ability to manage an increase in tornado activity across the this year.
Despite technological advancements in tornado prediction, the lack of sufficient staff to analyze data and communicate warnings effectively raises concerns about the quality of forecasts.
Impact of Cuts
Former NWS employees and experts highlight the unsustainable pressure on remaining staff, who are working overtime to compensate for cuts, risking fatigue and reduced performance.
Specific offices, including Jackson, , and Wichita, report vacancy rates exceeding 20%, a level deemed critical for maintaining operational effectiveness.