Thea Sandmael
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theasandmael.bsky.social
Thea Sandmael
@theasandmael.bsky.social
Research meteorologist in OK from Norway 📡🌪️

🩷💛💙
I’m sorry; fake damage reports are NOT funny
April 29, 2025 at 12:38 AM
Reposted by Thea Sandmael
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 Thea Sandmael
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...
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
Reposted by Thea Sandmael
more insanity from noaa probationary firings…they are saying since our firings are now retroactive to 2/27 our health insurance has ended…despite our insurance premiums being taken out of our admin leave pay
April 17, 2025 at 8:40 PM
NOAA NSSL/OU CIWRO TORP tornado probabilities have been maxing out for quite a while with this storm. Extreme AzShear values! #iawx
April 18, 2025 at 2:14 AM
Reposted by Thea Sandmael
On today’s episode of “He’s Tearing This S**t Up”—Trump plans to dismantle NOAA, shutting down climate research and weather labs.​

In Texas, that means fewer hurricane warnings, less drought data, & more risk to our communities.​

This isn’t just a budget cut—it’s a threat to our safety.
cnn.com CNN @cnn.com · Apr 11
The Trump administration plans to eliminate the research arm of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, close all weather and climate labs and eviscerate its budget along with several other NOAA offices, according to internal documents obtained by CNN.
Trump’s draft budget eviscerates weather and climate tracking and research | CNN
The move would devastate weather and climate research even as weather is becoming more erratic and extreme, and would cripple the US industries — including agriculture — that depend on free, accurate ...
www.cnn.com
April 11, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Reposted by Thea Sandmael
I wrote a post with my perspectives on the reports today about NOAA's FY26 budget passback and the implications. I will admit this was really hard to write - it's almost inconceivable to me that we are really doing this.
open.substack.com/pub/balanced...
BalancedWx Special: Reports that Trump Administration plans massive cuts to NOAA
Intent to eliminate NOAA Research and move space weather prediction to DHS
open.substack.com
April 11, 2025 at 10:37 PM
TORP tornado probability tracks for the April 2 outbreak. Wonder how many tornadoes will be in the final count once damage surveying is complete.
April 3, 2025 at 11:05 PM
Rare California tornado warning! #cawx
April 1, 2025 at 9:39 PM
My friend in Amber, OK got some large hail today, one looks like over 3 inches. This was after about 20-30 min of melting! #okwx
March 30, 2025 at 5:02 AM
An interesting case where TORP tornado probabilities did not get noticeably impacted by a temporary decreasing trend in AzShear #txwx #lawx
March 28, 2025 at 5:17 PM
We have enough rotation to trigger the TORP algorithm! Probabilities are low #wawx
March 27, 2025 at 1:28 AM
Pretty sure this is the first time we have a real-time TORP tornado probability domain in this region of the country. Excited to see how TORP does for potential non-landspout cases in Western Region!
March 26, 2025 at 9:58 PM
TORP tornado probability tracks from select radars for the March 14-16 severe weather outbreak.
March 18, 2025 at 8:47 PM
Reposted by Thea Sandmael
This is horrible to post, but I may as well post it. We are essentially shutting down research operations in my group, which is focused on treatments for pediatric brain cancer. I’m a well funded investigator, and there’s no choice. Science can’t function without the stability of NIH
March 15, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Reposted by Thea Sandmael
A fire burned through our Lake Carl Blackwell Mesonet site around 3:41-3:45pm. One of our thermometers measured a 1-minute average temperature of 173 F at 3:42pm. The 2 meter anemometer is now reporting 0, which indicates that it likely was completely melted. #okwx #okmesonet
March 14, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Experimental CIWRO/NSSL TORP probabilities close to 100% as the storm moved through Saint Louis. Not good.
March 15, 2025 at 3:06 AM
Our shed just blew over in SW OKC 😳 #okwx
March 14, 2025 at 6:07 PM
Reposted by Thea Sandmael
SPC has issued an incredibly rare Day 2 High Risk for Mississippi and Alabama. Tornado outbreak appears likely.

www.stormscale.io/spc/convecti...
March 14, 2025 at 5:38 PM
I get some of my tornado and severe weather research data from this website. Does this also mean we get no new official tornado reports since Storm Data entry will be down..?
March 14, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Reposted by Thea Sandmael
@noaa.gov provides lifesaving science, service and stewardship to the nation. #SaveNOAA is a group of terminated NOAA employees fighting for reinstatement to continue to deliver Americans these critical services.

#SaveNOAA #NOAAStrong #NOAA #Science #Fed #FedEmployees #Federal #Layoffs
March 5, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Reposted by Thea Sandmael
There might be a lot to be upset about, and things may seem dark… but the kindness and generosity of people will never cease to humble and astound me.

Thank you.
February 28, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Reposted by Thea Sandmael
Love the support we’re getting from our National Weather Center partners! Thanks today to OU School of Meteorology. I definitely picked the wrong week to stop eating donuts.
February 28, 2025 at 5:06 PM