Government Shutdown Affects Weather, Climate Programs

With the federal government shut down for the first time in 17 years, many of the nation’s weather forecasters remain at work, but longer-term climate research is taking a hit. According to Commerce Department documents, 6,601 of the 12,001 employees of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) -- or 55 percent of the agency's workforce -- have been sent home without pay. That leaves 5,400 “excepted” from the shutdown, mainly because they are needed for the protection of life and property. 

NOAA and NASA satellites will continue operating during the government shutdown, but the public may have trouble accessing images as websites are not maintained.

Credit: NASA.

In particular, the National Weather Service will continue operating its network of 122 local forecast offices to provide weather forecasts, watches, and warnings, and NOAA will also continue to operate its weather and climate computer models, as well as satellite data feeds to ensure that forecasters have uninterrupted access to weather information.

But while the weather service forecast offices are open, employees are not allowed to engage in their typical full range of activities, according to a NWS meteorologist.

“We are restricted to 'mission critical' duties. We aren't allowed to engage the public in outreach activities (such as spotter talks or school talks), and we're supposed to only include forecast-critical information on Facebook and Twitter accounts," the meteorologist told Climate Central, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media about the shutdown. "Only emergency equipment maintenance is allowed, which means that routine maintenance is not. This will hamstring us in the future, either when the shutdown is lifted and the rush of delayed work hits or when equipment breaks because it is not being maintained properly,” the meteorologist said.