Tornadoes scare me more than any other disaster. They show up fast and can wipe out entire towns with barely any heads-up.
Unlike with hurricanes, you don’t get days to prepare, and the winds hit way harder than most storms we’re used to.
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If one hits while you’re asleep, it all comes down to whether someone at your local weather office is paying attention and spots it in time.
A quick warning might be the only thing that gives people a chance to get to safety. Those few minutes can mean everything.
Budget cuts left key weather offices understaffed
That’s what made the recent budget cuts to the National Weather Service such a big deal. Earlier this year, some offices had to stop working around the clock.
Overnight shift was eliminated in a tornado-prone area
At the Jackson, Kentucky office, they had to drop the overnight forecaster role. That same office is in a part of the country that sees a lot of tornadoes.
The website even shows the “Meteorologist in Charge” role as open right now. Losing overnight staff means no one’s there to track storms when a lot of people are asleep.
We warned about the danger of cuts months ago
“It’s only a matter of time before these cuts lead to tragedy,” I said back in February.
Worst-case scenario became reality
Friday night (May 16), that exact kind of tragedy happened. Tornadoes ripped through Missouri and Kentucky just before midnight.
At least 27 people didn’t make it, and more are still missing.
Warnings came too late because of reduced staffing
Tornado alerts didn’t go out fast enough because there weren’t enough people on duty. That short delay, the kind of warning that wakes you up just in time, didn’t come soon enough for some.
The risk was clearly documented before the storm
This wasn’t something nobody saw coming. Just the day before, on May 15, the New York Times ran a piece looking into how DOGE budget cuts were hurting weather forecasts.
Their article even mentioned the Jackson, Kentucky office being hit by layoffs.
Government’s response has been deflective and political
Storms are still expected over the next couple of days. NOAA’s press team, now ran by Trump loyalists, is trying to diffuse the situation.
Science is under attack and more lives may be at risk
There’s a lot happening right now that’s putting science agencies under pressure. And with hurricane season starting soon, it’s worth asking how prepared we really are.