Panic as US smashed by severe weather after Trump's forecaster cuts

Fears are mounting that Donald Trump's sweeping cuts have left meteorologists less able to predict severe weather events. American science agency NOAA has warned that the Atlantic hurricane season will be more serious than usual, with up to 10 forecast between June and November. The country has also recorded over 1,200 tornadoes so far this year, killing more than 60 people, with the increasingly extreme and dangerous events linked to higher temperatures caused by climate change.

While US citizens may be more at risk than usual from the weather phenomenons, cuts to the National Weather Service (NWS) from Trump and Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) means there are less meterologists to broadcast the threat. There is thought to be a lack of staff in NWS offices in 15 of its regional offices, including in Puerto Rico, an area at particular hurricane risk.

"Staff will put in a heroic effort, but there is a high probability of significant consequences because of the cuts," Rick Spinrad, former administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa), told The Guardian.

"If I were a citizen of Texas, Florida or Georgia, I wouldn't be sure how well warned I would be of a hurricane."

A report published in April even suggested that cuts to the federal budget could lead to "degraded" operations in the US weather service, involving a gradual shutdown of core services until a manageable workload is reached for its remaining employees.

Meterologists are also being recruited to the front lines of forecasting from research roles, according to reports.

"They can move the deckchairs on the Titanic but they just don't have enough bodies to do the job they are supposed to do," James Franklin, a retired NWS meteorologist turned hurricane specialist, said.

"I'm worried the local offices won't be able to communicate with local emergency services and local officials about threats because they won't have the bodies to do it. The uncertainty level about the forecast will go up, too."

Commerce secretary Howard Lutnick denied the claims in a Capitol Hill hearing on June 5, insisting that the NWS was "fully staffed" and "transforming how we track storms and forecast weather with cutting-edge technology".

A spokesperson for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said the Trump administration is "committed to ensuring Americans affected by emergencies will get the help they need in a quick and efficient manner."