The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Weather Service (NWS) have been affected by widespread layoffs. The mass firings, which occurred on February 27 have left employees stunned and raised serious concerns about the future of weather forecasting and public safety in the country.

According to sources close to the matter, approximately 880 NOAA employees were terminated on Thursday, with some reports suggesting the total number could climb to 1,300 by Friday. The layoffs represent a significant reduction in the agency’s workforce, affecting about 5% of NOAA’s total staff.

The cuts have impacted various divisions within NOAA, including the National Weather Service offices, NOAA headquarters, the satellites division, and the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research. Employees across these departments received termination emails on Thursday afternoon, giving them just one hour to clear out their desks.

Many of those affected were probationary employees who had served less than a year in their current positions. The termination notices cited that the employees were “not fit for continued employment because your ability, knowledge and/or skills do not fit the Agency’s current needs”.

The cuts come at a time when the agency had been working to strengthen its workforce and improve its forecasting capabilities.

Project 2025, a conservative policy blueprint, which President Trump said he did not know about, but filled his administration with its authors, proposes significant changes to the National Weather Service (NWS) and its parent agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Project 2025 calls for breaking up and downsizing NOAA, describing it as a “colossal operation” and a primary component of the “climate change alarm industry”. While it does not explicitly call for eliminating the NWS, it proposes major changes to its structure and operations.

Project 2025 recommends fully commercializing the NWS’s forecasting operations. It emphasizes prioritizing the commercialization of weather technologies to ensure cost-efficient use of taxpayer dollars and increase competition.

The National Weather Service’s mission is to “protect lives and property.”

The mass layoffs at NOAA and the National Weather Service will likely have significant impacts on Americans:

Public Safety Concerns

• Reduced ability to forecast and respond to extreme weather events like hurricanes, wildfires, and floods, potentially putting communities at greater risk
• Possible delays or inaccuracies in severe weather alerts and emergency information, which could cost lives

Economic Impacts

• Threats to maritime commerce and fisheries-dependent jobs (estimated 1.7 million jobs at risk)
• Potential disruption to industries and businesses that rely on NOAA’s weather and climate data for decision-making

Weather Forecasting Changes

• Possible reduction in free, publicly available weather forecasts
• Risk of privatization leading to disparities in forecast quality and accessibility, with wealthier areas potentially getting better services

Scientific Research Setbacks

• Hindered climate change research and monitoring capabilities
• Potential loss of critical data gathering and analysis that supports various sectors of the economy

Environmental Protection

• Reduced capacity for ocean protection initiatives and fisheries management
• Possible impacts on efforts to safeguard marine species and respond to environmental emergencies like oil spills