After significant layoffs, the National Weather Service plans to cut back or discontinue essential weather balloon releases at eight sites across the United States. Experts and ex-leaders from the organization fear this could diminish forecast precision precisely when severe weather conditions are becoming more frequent.

Approximately 100 sites conduct daily weather balloon releases twice a day, offering data that meteorologists and computational models utilize to determine future weather conditions and their potential severity.

Reducing efforts would be an error, stated eight distinct scientists, meteorologists, and previous high-ranking officials from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which oversees the weather service.

The balloons ascend to an altitude of 100,000 feet (30,000 meters), carrying instruments known as radiosondes approximately 20 feet (6 meters) beneath them. These devices measure various atmospheric conditions including temperature, dew point, humidity, barometric pressure, wind speed, and wind direction.

“The interesting aspect of weather balloons is that they provide data which cannot be obtained through alternative means,” stated D. James Baker, who served as the former head of NOAA under the Clinton administration. During his time at the helm, he was required to reduce expenditures within the organization, yet he insisted on maintaining funding for observations like those conducted using weather balloons.

weather balloons

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It is completely indispensable for the forecasting system.

The University of Oklahoma environmental science professor, Renee McPherson, stated, “This is quite hazardous.”

Unacceptable,” Ryan Maue, who served as NOAA’s chief scientist during the final phase of President Donald Trump’s initial term, stated in an email. “We must not compromise our weather monitoring system by halting balloon releases. This would be detrimental to NOAA’s reputation, and discontinuing these launches will significantly impair American weather predictions.

Where are U.S. weather balloon launches being reduced?

The launches will be discontinued in Omaha, Nebraska, and Rapid City, South Dakota, “owing to insufficient WFO staff,” according to a notification released by the National Weather Service on Thursday evening.

This change will reduce the frequency from twice daily to once daily for launches in Aberdeen, South Dakota; Grand Junction, Colorado; Green Bay, Wisconsin; Gaylord, Michigan; North Platte, Nebraska, and Riverton, Wyoming.

The Trump administration

And its Department of Government Efficiency dismissed hundreds, possibly over 1,000, NOAA employees earlier this year. The administration subsequently issued letters to the probationary staff members who were laid off, informing them that they would receive payment but must not come into work.

At the beginning of this month, the organization revealed plans to cut back on weather balloons in Albany, New York, and Gray, Maine. Additionally, at the end of February, they discontinued these releases in Kotzebue, Alaska. This brings the total number of affected sites—where either balloon observations have been decreased or completely halted—to 11, representing roughly one site out of every nine across various regions including parts of the Pacific and Caribbean.

NOAA reported an average of approximately one disruption per day for balloon launches across regularly reporting weather stations between 2021 and 2024, as analyzed by the Associated Press using launch data.

Meteorologists Jeff Masters and Tomer Burg have determined that out of 83 U.S. balloon sites, 14, which equate to approximately 17 percent, are conducting either partial or no launches. This figure encompasses two stations unable to launch due to a lack of helium, along with another station facing difficulties for similar reasons.

coastal erosion

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“The accuracy of our forecasts improves as we input more data into our weather models; however, I am unable to predict the full scope of potential future effects,” stated weather service spokesperson Susan Buchanan via email.

The University at Albany’s meteorology professor, Kristen Corbosiero, examined the launch map on Friday and exclaimed, “Wow, that is such an open space… Not ideal.”

Corbosiero operates in the structure where the Albany weather service previously ascended to the rooftop for launching daily weather balloons. This has been reduced to just one nighttime release, which concerns her as severe weather season approaches.

What makes weather balloons so crucial?

For those residing east of the Rocky Mountains, this period likely marks the most challenging time of the year,” stated Oklahoma’s McPherson. “During this season, we experience some of our biggest challenges.

tornado outbreaks

, particularly as we progress into April and May.”

Elbert “Joe” Friday, who previously served as the director of the National Weather Service, stated that weather balloons provide “detailed information about temperatures and humidity levels in the lower atmosphere. This data helps us understand if conditions will be ripe for triggering severe storms and just how strong these storms could become.”

Weather balloons play a crucial role in completing the forecast puzzle by providing essential data about the atmospheric conditions where many weather events develop. While satellites excel at offering an overview and ground measurements along with radar reveal surface activities, meteorologists emphasize that these balloons fill in the vital mid-level gap necessary for accurate predictions.

The 10 announced cuts are all located in the northern region of the United States. This is roughly where.

the jet stream

– A current of air that transports weather systems around the world – during this season, the lack of observations is particularly troublesome, according to McPherson and Corbosiero.

Weather balloons play a crucial role in assisting with predictions about when and where rainfall will occur, stated Baker along with a previous NOAA administrator, Rick Spinrad.

The meteorological service has been releasing balloons periodically since the 1930s.

World War II

Weather balloon launches in the Arctic assisted America in securing victory in the aerial combat over Europe through improved flight forecasting, according to the former head of meteorology on Friday.

Filling a weather balloon with helium or hydrogen, equipping it with a sensor, and preparing it for release can take between one to one-and-a-half hours. This ensures that the radiosonde does not touch the ground during launch, as noted by Friday, who remembered sending up a balloon inNome, Alaska amid 30 mph winds and temperatures around 30 degrees below zero due to wind chill.

Meteorologists monitor the data for roughly two hours until the balloon returns to the ground, making the entire process last around four to five hours per individual, as stated by Friday.

“It’s sort of enjoyable,” Friday remarked on Friday.