Following a series of tornadoes that tore through multiple midwestern states, the FEMA response has been negligible, leaving many to fend for themselves or rely on the support of understaffed local organizations.
The recent cuts by DOGE to multiple federal departments are a major cause of this destruction. Meteorologists employed by the National Weather Service (NWS) have had a harder time accurately predicting severe weather threats in recent weeks due to major staff shortages.
The small number of people overseeing these departments has left critical gaps in the system. American citizens will be left in the dark about potentially dangerous weather events like tornadoes.
Currently, midwestern states are feeling the effects of these cuts. That said, other areas within the United States will be affected soon. In the past few months, the United States has seen stronger weather events, from the raging wildfires in Los Angeles to the horrible damage caused by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina.
A robust weather system will be needed to keep the public informed, especially if the more powerful weather events become a common problem. It would be dangerous to deny the reality of the situation, and unfortunately, like with climate change, users are quick to say that these weather events are normal.
So long as the Trump administration continues to gut the NWS and other important departments, American citizens will become blind to the environmental threats around them. Luckily, a rising number of independent online meteorologists have stepped up to the plate. It is not a perfect solution, but it is enough until the government reinvests in its weather department.
