Forecasters within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predict this summer’s hurricane season, which started June 1, will be “above average” in terms of activity. NOAA’s temperature outlook, meanwhile, also forecasts hotter-than-usual temperatures across the whole US this summer.
But as climate change juices up severe storms and wildfires and makes heat waves even deadlier, cuts at all levels across the US federal government have thrown agencies tasked with preparing the country for disasters—and helping it recover—into chaos.
These cuts are already having real impacts for Americans. As of mid-May, amid intense staffing losses at NOAA, four of the National Weather Service’s 122 stations around the country no longer had