Protecting Lives and Property: Harnessing Innovative Technologies to Enhance Weather Forecasting

Energy and Environment

2025-07-16

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Source: Congress.gov

Summary

The Subcommittee on Environment convened a hearing to discuss leveraging innovative technologies to enhance weather forecasting and protect lives and property, a topic made urgent by recent catastrophic weather events across the United States. [ 00:18:12 ] Speakers emphasized the critical need for improved forecasting capabilities and warning systems to mitigate the impact of severe floods, tornadoes, and other natural disasters. [ 00:19:15 ]

Themes

  • Importance of Enhanced Weather Forecasting and Public Safety: Recent devastating floods in Texas and New Mexico, along with tornado outbreaks and wildfires, underscore the urgent need for higher quality weather forecasting to protect lives and property. [ 00:19:15 ] Effective forecasting is vital for various sectors, including agriculture, where seasonal predictions influence planting and harvest times, and for public safety in areas prone to hurricanes. [ 00:20:05 ]

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     Despite accurate and timely alerts issued by the National Weather Service, recent tragedies highlight deficiencies in how warnings reach and are acted upon by the public, especially in rural areas or during early morning hours. [ 00:31:58 ]

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  • The Evolving Role of NOAA and Public-Private Partnerships: NOAA's mission to protect lives and property is increasingly shared with a robust private sector that embraces new technologies and techniques. [ 00:19:40 ] The Weather Act of 2017 laid groundwork for NOAA to engage in partnerships for purchasing commercial data, which has been successful and is up for reauthorization. [ 00:21:08 ]

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     The private sector, leveraging capital and technology, is now contributing significantly to weather intelligence, including operating commercial weather satellite constellations and developing AI-driven models. While commercial providers aim to complement and strengthen government capabilities, some committee members stressed that NOAA remains the bedrock for data collection and a trusted provider of free, reliable information, which the private sector should build upon, not replace.

  • Impact of Artificial Intelligence and New Technologies: Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming weather forecasting by enabling advanced modeling to enhance accuracy and timeliness, providing a competitive advantage and countering adversaries' AI programs. [ 00:20:50 ]

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     AI models can learn the physics of the entire Earth system, cutting computational costs significantly and delivering forecasts hours earlier than traditional operational systems. [ 00:54:32 ]

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     These advancements are possible due to decades of high-quality, publicly available weather data from NASA and NOAA, making the protection and modernization of national data infrastructure crucial for American innovation. [ 00:55:48 ]

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     However, some AI models may face challenges in areas with limited historical data, requiring higher resolution observations, potentially from space, to effectively train them.

  • Concerns over NOAA Staffing and Funding Cuts: Several members expressed serious concern over proposed budget cuts and staffing reductions within NOAA and the National Weather Service, arguing these measures are gutting essential services and threatening public safety. [ 00:24:42 ]

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     These reductions, including the elimination of NOAA's Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research and cooperative institutes, could lead to a "brain drain" of talent and diminish the nation's long-term ability to understand and predict weather. [ 00:26:36 ]

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     The importance of NOAA's research capabilities, which turn observations into actionable information and train the next generation of scientists, was highlighted as foundational for future forecasting improvements. Other members disputed the extent of these cuts and stated that the National Weather Service was fully staffed in critical areas for recent disasters and that proposed cuts are often mitigated by congressional action. [ 01:12:47 ]

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  • Observational Data and Infrastructure Needs: The reliability of weather forecasting relies on a robust suite of observational capabilities, from ground-based mesonets and modernized radar systems to space-based satellites. The upcoming discontinuation of Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) data presents a significant loss for microwave imagers and sounders, critical for hurricane forecasting and numerical weather prediction, necessitating alternative solutions like commercial satellite data. [ 00:57:58 ]

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     Maintaining and improving core satellite programs and ensuring open access to environmental data archives are seen as public goods essential for innovation and protecting American lives and property.

Tone of the Meeting

The meeting's tone was predominantly serious and concerned, driven by the recent devastating weather events and their human cost. [ 00:23:26 ]

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 While there was bipartisan consensus on the critical importance of enhancing weather forecasting to protect lives and property, significant political tension arose regarding the Trump administration's proposed budget and staffing cuts to NOAA and the National Weather Service. [ 00:33:10 ]

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 Some members specifically disputed claims of staffing shortages in affected areas. Speakers expressed both optimism about the potential of innovative technologies like AI and private sector contributions. [ 00:20:50 ]

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 However, strong warnings were issued about undermining foundational government research and talent pipelines. [ 01:08:40 ]

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 There was a clear divide between those who emphasized investing in and preserving NOAA's core capabilities, and those who highlighted the potential efficiency and innovation of commercial partnerships. This led to some pointed exchanges during the hearing.

Participants

Transcript

Good morning, the Subcommittee on Environment will come to order.  Without objection, the chair is authorized to declare recesses of the subcommittee at any time.  Welcome to today's hearing entitled Protecting Lives and Property, Harnessing Innovative Technologies to Enhance Weather Forecasting.  I recognize myself now for five minutes for an opening statement.   Good morning and thank you to our witnesses for being here today.  And as we discussed before, I'm grateful that you were able to rearrange your schedules.  This was originally scheduled for last week.  We had a lot of changes and then a lot of things have happened in the world since then that are going to be germane to our conversation today.  But thanks again for rearranging your calendars.  And, you know, given recent events, the importance of hearing your perspectives on our nation's weather enterprise cannot be overstated.  This morning's hearing addresses a topic that affects hundreds of millions of Americans daily.   the technological advances that contribute to the enhancement of weather forecasting.  The recent floods in Texas and New Mexico, the tornado outbreaks in March and May, and of course, the devastating wildfires in Southern California at the beginning of the year all highlight the need for higher quality weather forecasting.  For years, NOAA's mission has been to protect lives and property.  However, as the world modernizes, this responsibility no longer rests solely on their shoulders.   A robust private sector that embraces and fosters various technologies and techniques is essential for our progress in all areas related to weather.  Today we'll hear from witnesses who utilize this raw weather data to inform the public about imminent storms, what the weather will be like in the days to come, and what conditions we can expect throughout an entire season.  From my conversations with farmers back home in Florida, I know that seasonal weather predictions are vital to American agriculture.   Without accurate forecasts in this sector, decisions about seasonal planting and harvest timing are less efficient, which reduces yields of crops that are the backbone of our economy.  Floridians also recognize that accurate weather forecasts are crucial for their safety and well-being.  Extended hurricane lead time combined with more accurate tracking and intensity predictions over the last decade has saved countless lives and businesses, largely in part to the work put in by NOAA's Hurricane Hunter aircraft based in Lakeland, Florida, my hometown.
In 2024 alone, they flew 67 missions totaling over 520 flight hours.  Representative Frost and I had an opportunity to fly into Hurricane Milton last hurricane season at the peak of its intensity.  It was a strong Cat 4 at the time, one of the strongest storms on record, and that was a great example of how quickly these storms can intensify.   In the new era of artificial intelligence, leveraging advanced modeling will enhance the accuracy and timeliness of our forecasts.  This will give our nation a competitive advantage in industry development and resilience.  Furthermore, it will help counter adversaries like China and Russia, who are already advancing their own AI programs that will ultimately undermine the security and economic prosperity of the United States.   Back in 2017, this committee laid the groundwork for NOAA to engage in extended private-public partnerships.  The Weather Act of 2017, signed by President Trump, directed NOAA to establish a pilot program for purchasing commercial data.  This has proven to be an overwhelming success, and I'm proud to help lead the charge moving forward through its eventual reauthorization.   As we continue to innovate, it is important that the investments we make have the most effective path to commercialization.  Fostering collaboration between NOAA, academic institutions, and the private sector enables the federal government to procure the most cost effective information, resulting in services that maximize impact.  I am committed to working with committee members to develop a comprehensive legislative approach that addresses the expansion of this critical sector.  I'd like to thank our witnesses again for being here, and I look forward to hearing each of your testimonies.   I now recognize the ranking member of the subcommittee for an opening statement.
Well, thank you Chairman Franklin for convening today's hearing on how innovative technologies can strengthen weather forecasting and protect communities across the country.  I also want to thank our witnesses for joining us, especially given the rescheduling of this hearing.  As we all know, this hearing comes at a devastating time.   Just last week, catastrophic flooding struck Texas, New Mexico, and North Carolina.  Texas lost at least 134 lives, 37 of whom were children, and at least 101 people remain missing.  In New Mexico, a man and two children ages 7 and 4 were killed.  Tropical Storm Chantel, with at least two tornadoes, hit North Carolina with one woman confirmed dead.   Entire families were lost, livelihoods destroyed, communities shattered.  To families grieving this unimaginable loss and to the first responders still working through the wreckage, our hearts are with you.  Unfortunately, this won't be the last disaster we face.   Climate change is accelerating extreme weather, and we must do more to prepare our communities.  We need to confront a hard truth.  The United States cannot lead in weather prediction, cannot harness innovation, and cannot protect lives and property without people.   meteorologists who issue forecasts and warnings, hydrologists who model flood risks, climate scientists who analyze long-term trends, data analysts and modelers who improve forecast accuracy, emergency managers who translate forecasts into action, dedicated public servants, many represented here today, who work around the clock ensuring our communities are warned and protected in real time.   These experts are the backbone of America's weather enterprise.

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