An aerial view of severe flooding in Frankfort, Kentucky, caused by days of heavy rainfall on April 7, 2025. Violent storms battering the central-eastern United States killed at least 17 people. The storms came as the National Weather Service was grappling with nearly 600 job cuts by the Trump administration. Now, the NWS has been given authorization to rehire more than 100 forecasters, radar technicians and others.
Leandro Lozada/AFP via Getty Images
hide caption
toggle caption
Leandro Lozada/AFP via Getty Images
MIAMI — After public backlash and concern, the National Weather Service is beginning the process of hiring more than 100 employees to “stabilize operations” at its field offices around the country.
Following cuts ordered by the Trump administration earlier this year, the weather service lost nearly 600 positions.
Erica Grow Cei, a National Weather Service spokesperson, says the new hires will fill positions at field offices where there’s “the greatest operational need.”
Tom Fahy, legislative director with the union that represents NWS employees, says the service will fill 126 new positions.
“The positions’ categories are meteorologist, hydrologist, physical scientist and electronic technicians,” he says. Electronic technicians are critical positions in charge of maintaining and repairing weather radar installations and other sensitive equipment. “Radar is an essential part of our national weather infrastructure,” Fahy says, “to protect the American people from severe weather and dangerous storms.
Following the job cuts,…