WASHINGTON, May 24 (Alliance News): The United States braces for a more intense and dangerous Atlantic hurricane season this year, as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts between 13 to 19 named storms, including up to five major hurricanes.
However, these growing risks come at a time when the Trump administration is cutting jobs and slashing funding at NOAA, raising alarms about the nation’s ability to track and respond to storms effectively.
NOAA forecasts a 60 percent chance of an above-normal hurricane season, with six to 10 hurricanes expected, three to five of which may reach category three or higher, with sustained winds exceeding 111 mph.
The agency cited warmer ocean temperatures, weak wind shear, and increased West African monsoon activity as key factors driving the heightened risk.
Acting NOAA Administrator Laura Grimm stressed the agency’s critical role in issuing early warnings that save lives and protect property, especially as hurricane impacts extend beyond coastal areas.
Yet, experts like former NOAA head Rick Spinrad express deep concern about the agency’s diminished capacity after mass layoffs of meteorologists and technicians, actions driven by the administration’s “Department of Government Efficiency.”
“The ability to operate aircraft, run weather models, and respond to multiple extreme weather events simultaneously is under serious threat,” Spinrad warned. He also linked rising seawater temperatures to climate change, noting this as a significant factor in the forecast.
President Trump’s second-term agenda, Project 2025, calls for cutting NOAA’s research budget by $1.3 billion and accuses the agency of promoting “climate alarmism.”
The administration recently dismissed FEMA’s acting head after he opposed dismantling the agency and plans to transfer its duties to individual states.
Last year’s hurricanes, including deadly Hurricane Helene that caused 250 US fatalities, demonstrated the devastating cost of extreme weather events, with five named storms resulting in economic losses exceeding billions of dollars.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has announced it will cease updating its long-running disaster database, which tracked the escalating costs of climate-related disasters for over four decades.
