While insisting this wasn't Trump’s fault, Noem blamed previous administrations for failing to update NOAA’s “ancient” systems—which would include Trump’s first term, no?
I’ve got to admit, I was a bit confused by this headline, because I’d heard that despite cuts to NOAA, the usual flood alerts were given and Texas officials were lying about that.
The article clarifies that a bit:
Former and current NWS employees have defended the agency’s response, as have meteorologists across the country. NWS’s Austin/San Antonio office—which covers the region— issued a flood watch on Thursday afternoon, followed by flash flood alerts that night into Friday morning.
However, the office’s warning coordination meteorologist took an early retirement offer in April as part of NOAA’s personnel and budget cuts, which were part of DOGE’s efforts to slash government “waste.” The position still hasn’t been filled, and according to the department’s website, the office currently has six additional vacancies. That vacancy may have delayed urgent communication with local officials.
It also sounds like the Trump admin isn’t going to change their plans for NOAA:
Unfortunately, NOAA’s recently released 2026 budget plan would shut down multiple NOAA labs, including the decades-old National Severe Storms Laboratory, which is crucial in researching and developing storm prediction technology, including hurricane forecasts. These cuts were outlined in Project 2025, with Russell Vought—Trump’s OMB Director—writing that he wanted to gut NOAA because the agency is responsible for “climate alarmism.”
I have to agree, knowing the facts about how rapidly the climate is changing does lead to alarm.
One thing I wonder is how seriously people take the flood warnings.
Most of the time if it is raining at all, I get the various flood warnings. I could imagine people underestimating those.
I recall quite a bit being made of how overtly grim, specific, and certain the Katrina warning was and how that may have helped set it apart from the usual “warning”
Thanks for that write up, very informative about what went down.
I wonder about having different alert sounds. The one alert sound I barely think to take seriously. I read them and I think I would notice unique phrasing, but I also imagine people are tempted by the ability to turn off emergency alerts as they seem a bit overused.
I’ve got to admit, I was a bit confused by this headline, because I’d heard that despite cuts to NOAA, the usual flood alerts were given and Texas officials were lying about that.
The article clarifies that a bit:
It also sounds like the Trump admin isn’t going to change their plans for NOAA:
I have to agree, knowing the facts about how rapidly the climate is changing does lead to alarm.
One thing I wonder is how seriously people take the flood warnings.
Most of the time if it is raining at all, I get the various flood warnings. I could imagine people underestimating those.
I recall quite a bit being made of how overtly grim, specific, and certain the Katrina warning was and how that may have helped set it apart from the usual “warning”
deleted by creator
Thanks for that write up, very informative about what went down.
I wonder about having different alert sounds. The one alert sound I barely think to take seriously. I read them and I think I would notice unique phrasing, but I also imagine people are tempted by the ability to turn off emergency alerts as they seem a bit overused.