Appropriations subcommittee presses NOAA on staffing, radar gaps and AI plans for the National Weather Service

Assistant Secretary Taylor Jordan told the House Appropriations subcommittee that NOAA is using the recently enacted FY2026 appropriations to recapitalize weather observations, improve forecasting models and staff local forecast offices. “We’re focusing on improving our model, our weather forecast model,” Jordan said in his opening testimony, and described steps to move AWIPS to the cloud and to field a new generation of weather-prediction models that incorporate artificial‑intelligence techniques.

The hearing opened with the subcommittee chair describing the FY2026 package that provided roughly $1.45 billion for the National Weather Service and an additional $10 million to support full staffing at local offices. Ranking Member Ming said the committee needs the department’s spend plans to understand how those funds will be used and to ensure resources reach local forecast offices.

Members spent substantial time pressing NOAA on the pace and delivery of several modernization efforts. Jordan said AWIPS — the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System used daily by forecast offices — will be migrated to the cloud on a roughly 12–18 month timeline, with a parallel path maintained so operational capability is not disrupted. He also described a newly announced hybrid, AI‑driven global forecasting ensemble, saying the models are faster and more efficient than legacy systems and are being evaluated alongside NOAA’s existing physics‑based models (the Global Forecast System).

Lawmakers from rural and mountainous districts flagged persistent radar coverage gaps. “How is the Weather Service addressing those gaps in radar and observational coverage, particularly in central Appalachia and other rural regions?” one member asked. Jordan said NOAA is conducting an analysis of alternatives for a multi‑decade Radar Next recapitalization and that commercial radar vendors could serve as “gap fillers” between larger government radars as the agency plans replacement of the aging NEXRAD network, which he said will likely require a multibillion‑dollar effort over the coming decade.

On the question of whether AI will replace forecasters, Jordan emphasized humans remain part of operational forecasting: the agency is running parallel AI and physics‑based systems and intends to keep forecasters “in the loop.” He said NOAA is also working to embed forecast staff with state and local emergency managers so that model output translates into timely ground‑level decisions.

The subcommittee asked for specific documentation: Jordan agreed to provide lists of offices with vacancy rates above specified thresholds and to furnish the department’s FY2026 spend plans for the record. Members may submit additional questions to the witness for the record; the hearing was adjourned with that option preserved.

The hearing’s next procedural step: members have seven days to submit written questions for the record and staff follow‑up on staffing and spend‑plan requests.