Jacob Widanski
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jacob.widanski.com
Jacob Widanski
@jacob.widanski.com
OU Meteorology '25 // Student Research Assistant // Weather, photography, and all things data // Avid runner
Reposted by Jacob Widanski
The 2026 budget passback plan calls for eliminating NOAA Research, the scientific backbone that keeps weather forecasts, alerts, and warnings accurate and effective. This would have disastrous consequences.

Read the AMS statement, in partnership w/ @nwas.org: bit.ly/4cz2RtC
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.
bit.ly
April 17, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Reposted by Jacob Widanski
NWS Storm Prediction Center Key Messages for today's severe weather/tornado outbreak across the South. For more details and future outlook updates, short term discussions (mesoscale discussion), and watch issuances visit www.spc.noaa.gov.
March 15, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Reposted by Jacob Widanski
Busy satellite view over the central Plains this afternoon - unfortunately as forecast, the very strong & dry wind kicked up a massive dust storm and contributed to rapid fire & smoke spread in Oklahoma, with severe thunderstorms starting to form over Missouri in the warm sector.
March 14, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Reposted by Jacob Widanski
Fire weather is severe weather. My goodness... #txwx #okwx
March 14, 2025 at 8:50 PM
Reposted by Jacob Widanski
An incredibly rare Day 2 High Risk (level 5 out of 5 risk) for portions of Mississippi and Alabama

This has only occurred three times since these records have been kept (with two of those encompassing similar portions of Mississippi and Alabama region):

2025-03-15
2012-04-14
2006-04-07
March 14, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Reposted by Jacob Widanski
The Storm Prediction Center issues Day 2 Convective Outlook (Max Risk: High) at Mar 14, 17:30z Link
March 14, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Reposted by Jacob Widanski
"Another building on the list ... now has an end date of Sept. 30, 2025. That facility in Norman, Okla. is the Radar Operations Center, a centralized hub for technicians and researchers to work on improving and repairing the nation's aging fleet of Doppler weather radars."
NEW: The Trump admin has informed NOAA that two buildings that are critical for weather forecasting will have their leases canceled. If this comes to pass, it's a really big deal. Includes weather fcst nerve center in College Park, Md.: www.axios.com/2025/03/03/d...
DOGE moves to cancel NOAA leases at critical forecasting centers
NOAA's nerve center of national weather forecasting is on a lease cancellation list.
www.axios.com
March 3, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Reposted by Jacob Widanski
I don’t think a lot of people outside science understand the symbiotic relationship we have between public, private, and educational sectors. We all lean on each other for help, support, and R&D. In most cases, we aren’t competing so much as all rowing different boats in the same direction.
February 28, 2025 at 2:13 AM
Reposted by Jacob Widanski
Probationary employees across @NOAA and the @NWS are being terminated today, including those in mission-essential roles.

My own wife is among them, essential to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center's 24/7 critical mission of seismic monitoring and tsunami prediction to protect the public.
A statement I must make:
February 27, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Reposted by Jacob Widanski
The mass firing of both new hires and recently promoted senior staff within #NOAA, including mission-critical and life-saving roles at the National Weather Service (#NWS), is profoundly alarming.
1/11
February 28, 2025 at 12:28 AM
Reposted by Jacob Widanski
Second this! But please don't forget about the folks in the other NOAA Line Offices. The folks in OAR, NESDIS, etc are developing our future weather radar technologies, operational forecast models, warning paradigms... the list goes on. The entire enterprise is valuable and deserves to be saved. 🥺
February 28, 2025 at 1:38 AM
Reposted by Jacob Widanski
The hammer fell on NOAA/NWS this afternoon. 😭💔 There were no exceptions. All probationary employees.
New: Layoffs underway of probationary employees at @noaa.gov Unclear so far how many were exempted for public safety reasons at the Nat'l Weather Service, NOAA Satellites and other units. www.axios.com/2025/02/27/l...
Layoffs hit federal climate, weather agency NOAA
The cuts could affect NOAA's weather forecasts, climate research and other functions.
www.axios.com
February 27, 2025 at 9:32 PM
Reposted by Jacob Widanski
All probationary federal employees at NOAA’s EMC that’s responsible for keeping all US weather model systems running have been fired with 1 hours notice. And that includes me and colleagues. We will not go quietly because we care about the NOAA mission to protect the public.
February 27, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Reposted by Jacob Widanski
I am now hearing from multiple folks in the past two hours (including some who have personally been fired) that mass firings have now commenced within NOAA--including, yes, at the National Weather Service.
February 27, 2025 at 9:17 PM
Reposted by Jacob Widanski
New: Layoffs underway of probationary employees at @noaa.gov Unclear so far how many were exempted for public safety reasons at the Nat'l Weather Service, NOAA Satellites and other units. www.axios.com/2025/02/27/l...
Layoffs hit federal climate, weather agency NOAA
The cuts could affect NOAA's weather forecasts, climate research and other functions.
www.axios.com
February 27, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Reposted by Jacob Widanski
While I wait for the email that tells me whether I’ve been fired or spared, here’s a thread of things I’ve had the privilege of working on, experiencing, and accomplishing in my 10 months as a federal employee at the Storm Prediction Center.

1/?
February 14, 2025 at 10:30 PM