Rick Smith
@ounwcm.bsky.social
NWS Warning Coordination Meteorologist at WFO Norman, OK.
Reposted by Rick Smith
The @nws.noaa.gov account will begin posting here on Monday. www.weather.gov/media/notifi...
July 23, 2025 at 3:24 PM
The @nws.noaa.gov account will begin posting here on Monday. www.weather.gov/media/notifi...
Reposted by Rick Smith
"A review of... communications from a real-time messaging system operated by the NWS showed that no emergency manager from Kerr County was sending messages or interacting with NWS staff on the platform, even as emergency officials from other counties were doing so."
www.cnn.com/2025/07/07/u...
www.cnn.com/2025/07/07/u...
Local officials facing questions over lack of preparations in the years and hours before deadly Texas floods | CNN
As Central Texas reels from flash floods that killed over 100 people this weekend, questions are sharpening about whether officials could have done more to avert the tragedy – both in the decades lead...
www.cnn.com
July 8, 2025 at 1:54 PM
"A review of... communications from a real-time messaging system operated by the NWS showed that no emergency manager from Kerr County was sending messages or interacting with NWS staff on the platform, even as emergency officials from other counties were doing so."
www.cnn.com/2025/07/07/u...
www.cnn.com/2025/07/07/u...
Reposted by Rick Smith
Proposed NOAA cuts would destroy the basic infrastructure for weather research–including hurricane and flash flood forecasting–and take decades to recover from. “It’s like blowing up a dam and trying to rebuild it by gluing the pieces back together. It won’t work. You have to start from scratch.”
Cuts to NOAA increase the risk of deadly weather tragedies » Yale Climate Connections
The Trump administration's budget plan for 2026 would eliminate the lab that developed a key flash flooding tool.
yaleclimateconnections.org
July 7, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Proposed NOAA cuts would destroy the basic infrastructure for weather research–including hurricane and flash flood forecasting–and take decades to recover from. “It’s like blowing up a dam and trying to rebuild it by gluing the pieces back together. It won’t work. You have to start from scratch.”
Reposted by Rick Smith
Who's ready to celebrate this team?? Thunder Nation is invited to the 2025 Champions Parade in downtown Oklahoma City, starting at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Check out the parade route and fact sheet. www.okc.gov/Home/Compone...
Check out the parade route and fact sheet. www.okc.gov/Home/Compone...
June 23, 2025 at 3:13 AM
Who's ready to celebrate this team?? Thunder Nation is invited to the 2025 Champions Parade in downtown Oklahoma City, starting at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Check out the parade route and fact sheet. www.okc.gov/Home/Compone...
Check out the parade route and fact sheet. www.okc.gov/Home/Compone...
Reposted by Rick Smith
📣 Exactly this
It takes 3-6 mths JUST to get hires on station. Then mths of training before they can make meaningful contributions. (training also takes time from forecasters keeping ops afloat)
Good to see NWS staffing going in the right direction, but minimal help before hurricane season.
It takes 3-6 mths JUST to get hires on station. Then mths of training before they can make meaningful contributions. (training also takes time from forecasters keeping ops afloat)
Good to see NWS staffing going in the right direction, but minimal help before hurricane season.
Good to hear the hemorrhaging at NWS will slow. Still, they have lost 560 people this year and are only allowed to hire 125. And the new hires will not be on board to help during the coming hurricane season, for the most part.
SCOOP: The National Weather Service has secured permission to hire about 125 new meteorologists & other specialists as it faces acute staffing shortages in wake of Trump admin. cuts www.cnn.com/2025/06/02/w...
June 2, 2025 at 11:43 PM
📣 Exactly this
It takes 3-6 mths JUST to get hires on station. Then mths of training before they can make meaningful contributions. (training also takes time from forecasters keeping ops afloat)
Good to see NWS staffing going in the right direction, but minimal help before hurricane season.
It takes 3-6 mths JUST to get hires on station. Then mths of training before they can make meaningful contributions. (training also takes time from forecasters keeping ops afloat)
Good to see NWS staffing going in the right direction, but minimal help before hurricane season.
Of all the weird stuff that goes on around here in the spring and summer, heat bursts are some of the most amazing.
A classic heat burst occurred just southwest of me last night as the temperature at the Chickasha Mesonet site went up to 96F (!) in the predawn hours. Spent the first half of my morning newsletter documenting and explaining this fascinating phenomenon.
open.substack.com/pub/balanced...
open.substack.com/pub/balanced...
Documenting and explaining a heat burst
And an active Sunday from the Southern Plains into the Southeast
open.substack.com
May 25, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Of all the weird stuff that goes on around here in the spring and summer, heat bursts are some of the most amazing.
This is an EXCELLENT read - thank you @mattlanza.bsky.social
May 21, 2025 at 1:41 PM
This is an EXCELLENT read - thank you @mattlanza.bsky.social
Reposted by Rick Smith
Contrary to some narratives out there, the NWS office in Jackson, KY was fully staffed Friday (May 16th) to deal with the forecast #SevereWeather/#tornado outbreak.
www.wkyufm.org/2025-05-17/k...
www.wkyufm.org/2025-05-17/k...
Kentucky NWS office in Jackson was staffed amid severe weather, despite shortages
The National Weather Service Forecast Office in Jackson, Kentucky, was fully staffed overnight as tornadoes descended on London and Somerset, despite staffing shortages.
www.wkyufm.org
May 18, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Contrary to some narratives out there, the NWS office in Jackson, KY was fully staffed Friday (May 16th) to deal with the forecast #SevereWeather/#tornado outbreak.
www.wkyufm.org/2025-05-17/k...
www.wkyufm.org/2025-05-17/k...
Reposted by Rick Smith
WaPo article on cuts at the National Weather Center and affiliated offices - full text here:
wapo.st/4jBaFhl
wapo.st/4jBaFhl
Forecasters fear job cuts in severe weather season could be devastating
In Tornado Alley, meteorologists say the Trump administration’s efforts could endanger the warning system residents rely on for safety.
wapo.st
April 30, 2025 at 2:09 PM
WaPo article on cuts at the National Weather Center and affiliated offices - full text here:
wapo.st/4jBaFhl
wapo.st/4jBaFhl
Reposted by Rick Smith
NOAA Research introduced and is redeveloping our national Doppler radar network. It provides the radar observations used to keep you safe in severe weather (the same ones seen on TV & your phone).
NOAA Research faces elimination. Learn more: www.ametsoc.org/ams/about-am... #SaveNOAA
NOAA Research faces elimination. Learn more: www.ametsoc.org/ams/about-am... #SaveNOAA
Stand Up for NOAA Research – The Time to Act is Now
The AMS is a global community committed to advancing weather, water, and climate science and service.
www.ametsoc.org
April 28, 2025 at 3:53 PM
NOAA Research introduced and is redeveloping our national Doppler radar network. It provides the radar observations used to keep you safe in severe weather (the same ones seen on TV & your phone).
NOAA Research faces elimination. Learn more: www.ametsoc.org/ams/about-am... #SaveNOAA
NOAA Research faces elimination. Learn more: www.ametsoc.org/ams/about-am... #SaveNOAA
Reposted by Rick Smith
What a bunch of nonsense. They just strung a bunch of buzzwords together to sound smart and authoritative.
The administration is gutting NOAA and weather forecasts are suffering. What's "disrespectful" is cutting life-saving services out of spite.
The administration is gutting NOAA and weather forecasts are suffering. What's "disrespectful" is cutting life-saving services out of spite.
The statement from NOAA:
Through strategic transformation, staff reallocation, and updated service standards, NWS is ensuring resilience and continuity of mission-critical functions. Reports suggesting otherwise are false and disrespectful.
Through strategic transformation, staff reallocation, and updated service standards, NWS is ensuring resilience and continuity of mission-critical functions. Reports suggesting otherwise are false and disrespectful.
April 20, 2025 at 12:25 AM
What a bunch of nonsense. They just strung a bunch of buzzwords together to sound smart and authoritative.
The administration is gutting NOAA and weather forecasts are suffering. What's "disrespectful" is cutting life-saving services out of spite.
The administration is gutting NOAA and weather forecasts are suffering. What's "disrespectful" is cutting life-saving services out of spite.
Reposted by Rick Smith
Thanks to @edwardsanthonyb.bsky.social and SFChronicle for sharing the full NOAA FY26 budget passback. After a detailed reading, think it is important for people to really understand just what massive changes are planned for US weather forecasting and research.
open.substack.com/pub/balanced...
open.substack.com/pub/balanced...
BalancedWx Special: Perspective on the NOAA budget passback
A proposed sea change to the US meteorological science enterprise
open.substack.com
April 17, 2025 at 1:05 AM
Thanks to @edwardsanthonyb.bsky.social and SFChronicle for sharing the full NOAA FY26 budget passback. After a detailed reading, think it is important for people to really understand just what massive changes are planned for US weather forecasting and research.
open.substack.com/pub/balanced...
open.substack.com/pub/balanced...
Reposted by Rick Smith
“The Post spoke with 10 employees across the Weather Service …. Concerned with leaks to the media, the administration is installing monitoring software on NOAA employees’ devices to track their communications, two current employees said.”
Reporting by Scott Dance…
wapo.st/44sg8lC
Reporting by Scott Dance…
wapo.st/44sg8lC
National Weather Service buyouts will leave gaps as storm season ramps up
Some meteorologists and public officials warned that reductions, which leave the agency nearly 20 percent smaller, could have deadly consequences.
wapo.st
April 17, 2025 at 1:04 AM
“The Post spoke with 10 employees across the Weather Service …. Concerned with leaks to the media, the administration is installing monitoring software on NOAA employees’ devices to track their communications, two current employees said.”
Reporting by Scott Dance…
wapo.st/44sg8lC
Reporting by Scott Dance…
wapo.st/44sg8lC
Another moderate risk. At some point the Memphis NWS office is going to start taking this personally.
April 5, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Another moderate risk. At some point the Memphis NWS office is going to start taking this personally.
Reposted by Rick Smith
Nearly half of the local weather service offices are down by 20% after DOGE cuts, according to data obtained by AP apnews.com/article/doge...
Nearly half of National Weather Services offices have 20% vacancy rates, and experts say it's a risk
Data obtained by The Associated Press shows that close to half of the local National Weather Service forecast offices have 20% vacancy rates as severe weather chugs across the nation’s heartland.
apnews.com
April 4, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Nearly half of the local weather service offices are down by 20% after DOGE cuts, according to data obtained by AP apnews.com/article/doge...
Reposted by Rick Smith
Major shoutout to local National Weather Service offices who have issued literally hundreds and hundreds of tornado / severe thunderstorm / flood warnings in just the past 36 hours alone. Most offices are doing this amid staff shortages.
SPC / WPC teams doing amazing work, too.
Scientists matter.
SPC / WPC teams doing amazing work, too.
Scientists matter.
April 3, 2025 at 11:12 AM
Major shoutout to local National Weather Service offices who have issued literally hundreds and hundreds of tornado / severe thunderstorm / flood warnings in just the past 36 hours alone. Most offices are doing this amid staff shortages.
SPC / WPC teams doing amazing work, too.
Scientists matter.
SPC / WPC teams doing amazing work, too.
Scientists matter.
Reposted by Rick Smith
And there you have it. At least a dozen tornadic supercells in an STP bullseye of 9, smack dab in the center of an SPC High Risk. We can stop complaining now, or rejoice, or just appreciate the NWS.
April 2, 2025 at 11:16 PM
And there you have it. At least a dozen tornadic supercells in an STP bullseye of 9, smack dab in the center of an SPC High Risk. We can stop complaining now, or rejoice, or just appreciate the NWS.
Reposted by Rick Smith
Pretty nice day for OU Softball! Boomer!
March 30, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Pretty nice day for OU Softball! Boomer!
Reposted by Rick Smith
If your local National Weather Service office has paused or canceled spotter training this year, here’s a great option! 🌪️
@comet-meted.bsky.social has teamed up with the National Weather Service (NWS) to develop a (totally free!) online storm spotter certification course. 🌪️⛈️⚡️
More info: 🧵⬇️
@comet-meted.bsky.social has teamed up with the National Weather Service (NWS) to develop a (totally free!) online storm spotter certification course. 🌪️⛈️⚡️
More info: 🧵⬇️
March 28, 2025 at 4:05 PM
If your local National Weather Service office has paused or canceled spotter training this year, here’s a great option! 🌪️
@comet-meted.bsky.social has teamed up with the National Weather Service (NWS) to develop a (totally free!) online storm spotter certification course. 🌪️⛈️⚡️
More info: 🧵⬇️
@comet-meted.bsky.social has teamed up with the National Weather Service (NWS) to develop a (totally free!) online storm spotter certification course. 🌪️⛈️⚡️
More info: 🧵⬇️
Reposted by Rick Smith
From life-saving weather warnings and cancer treatments to tech breakthroughs, federally funded science drives progress. In an open letter, the AMS urges strong federal science funding to ensure our future.
More: bit.ly/4j6rQGZ
More: bit.ly/4j6rQGZ
Science Helps You Thrive: Strong U.S. Scientific Leadership Raises Us All
The AMS is a global community committed to advancing weather, water, and climate science and service.
bit.ly
March 25, 2025 at 3:05 PM
From life-saving weather warnings and cancer treatments to tech breakthroughs, federally funded science drives progress. In an open letter, the AMS urges strong federal science funding to ensure our future.
More: bit.ly/4j6rQGZ
More: bit.ly/4j6rQGZ
Reposted by Rick Smith
ICYMI: my Balanced Weather post yesterday about potential impacts of NWS reductions in upper air balloon flights
balancedweather.substack.com/p/special-ba...
balancedweather.substack.com/p/special-ba...
Special BalancedWx Update: NWS announces reduction in upper air flights
Reduction is on top of previously announced cuts
balancedweather.substack.com
March 21, 2025 at 4:37 PM
ICYMI: my Balanced Weather post yesterday about potential impacts of NWS reductions in upper air balloon flights
balancedweather.substack.com/p/special-ba...
balancedweather.substack.com/p/special-ba...
Reposted by Rick Smith
From knowledgeable scientists we’ve talked to, RAOBs have the second largest increase in error for upper air metrics when removed, behind aircraft data.
On average, losing RAOBs will decrease mesoscale NWP forecast skill.
doi.org/10.1175/2009...
doi.org/10.1175/MWR-...
doi.org/10.1175/BAMS...
On average, losing RAOBs will decrease mesoscale NWP forecast skill.
doi.org/10.1175/2009...
doi.org/10.1175/MWR-...
doi.org/10.1175/BAMS...
Relative Short-Range Forecast Impact from Aircraft, Profiler, Radiosonde, VAD, GPS-PW, METAR, and Mesonet Observations via the RUC Hourly Assimilation Cycle
Abstract An assessment is presented on the relative forecast impact on the performance of a numerical weather prediction model from eight different observation data types: aircraft, profiler, radioson...
doi.org
March 20, 2025 at 9:01 PM
From knowledgeable scientists we’ve talked to, RAOBs have the second largest increase in error for upper air metrics when removed, behind aircraft data.
On average, losing RAOBs will decrease mesoscale NWP forecast skill.
doi.org/10.1175/2009...
doi.org/10.1175/MWR-...
doi.org/10.1175/BAMS...
On average, losing RAOBs will decrease mesoscale NWP forecast skill.
doi.org/10.1175/2009...
doi.org/10.1175/MWR-...
doi.org/10.1175/BAMS...
Reposted by Rick Smith
“It was a bust”
Nope. Multiple significant tors and fatalities occurred with at least 37 tornado reports so far.
Just because you didn’t get your disaster porn in a heavily populated area doesn’t mean the forecast was a bust. Some of y’all need therapy.
Nope. Multiple significant tors and fatalities occurred with at least 37 tornado reports so far.
Just because you didn’t get your disaster porn in a heavily populated area doesn’t mean the forecast was a bust. Some of y’all need therapy.
March 16, 2025 at 1:56 PM
“It was a bust”
Nope. Multiple significant tors and fatalities occurred with at least 37 tornado reports so far.
Just because you didn’t get your disaster porn in a heavily populated area doesn’t mean the forecast was a bust. Some of y’all need therapy.
Nope. Multiple significant tors and fatalities occurred with at least 37 tornado reports so far.
Just because you didn’t get your disaster porn in a heavily populated area doesn’t mean the forecast was a bust. Some of y’all need therapy.
Reposted by Rick Smith
What To Know About NOAA
http://theonion.com/...
http://theonion.com/...
March 7, 2025 at 8:00 PM
What To Know About NOAA
http://theonion.com/...
http://theonion.com/...