How potential federal funding cuts to NOAA could impact Delmarva meteorologists

DELMARVA. – The Trump administration recently proposed federal funding cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

But how could the loss of funding impact us on Delmarva?

“We rely on accurate and timely information form NOAA and the National Weather Service,” said Lt. John Dennis with the Salisbury Fire Department’s Emergency Medical Services.

WMDT Meteorologist Jake Grant said funding cuts could mean less data collection, which can result in less accurate weather models.

“It’s limiting your data pool, especially going into hurricane season,” said Grant. “With less submissions going in with the hurricane hunters, and less data collection with weather balloon launchings, that’s a big deal.”

Last year, states in the southeast were devastated by hurricanes. Although Delmarva saw very little impact, that doesn’t mean that can’t change this year.

Our peak months will be towards the end of August, into September, so getting accurate and timely data from NOAA around that time is crucial for local meteorologists like Grant, to report to the public.

“People often think that it’s an independent, but NOAA national funding actually affects us every day that we do our job,” said Grant.

“Because all of our weather models collect data from NOAA, they are using the weather balloon launches and multiple different things, and that data collection, in turn, affects what you see on our future cast model,” he added.

And Dennis said those accurate reports from the weather experts help EMS in their response efforts.

“If forecasting capabilities or the lead times to storms are reduced due to funding cuts, it can impact how early we can obtain resources that may be needed,” said Dennis.