mergerson.bsky.social
đź“Ť Journalism professor, University of Maryland
đź“• PhD from Rutgers
🌪️ I study weather journalism
🌪️ Former NWS intern
🏛️ Also study journalism history, trust in news, and the well-being of journalists
🏛️ Formerly at Brookings
114 posts
764 followers
424 following
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Compare that piece to this PBS interview. This piece informs its audience of the public safety and economic benefits of the #NWS, to consider in a broader conversation about debt reduction. It does a more complete job of explaining the issue to the public. #WxSky #NOAA
www.pbs.org/newshour/sho...
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Federal debt reduction might be a public priority, but the American public has other priorities, as well. It's iffy to assume that the public supports (or that "both sides" support) gutting the National Weather Service as a way to cut coasts. #WxSky #NWS #NOAA 3/
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Even worse, the reporter writes, "The government has some $36 trillion in debt and ran a $1.8 trillion deficit last year, and both sides of the political agree on the need for changes." Among other issues, this sentence appears to normalize haphazard firings as a practice. #WxSky #NWS #NOAA 2/
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I'm not interested in debating whether we should protect people from severe weather, regardless of where they live or how they voted. I hope I am communicating clearly to you. My response to DOGE vandalizing NWS to own the libs will not be to dehumanize people in red states to own MAGA. #WxSky
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Every American in every state benefits from the National Weather Service. Contact your Member of Congress, regardless of your party affiliation or theirs, and insist that they act immediately to reinstate the Weather Service personnel who were so recklessly laid off.
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There are so many other notable weather events that aren't even listed here, but this list provides a sense of why we need a well-resourced National Weather Service to protect our lives and commerce. This agency is too important to tear down for the lolz.
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Andy Kim, New Jersey—Mullica Hill EF3 tornado, 2021; Hurricane Sandy, 2012
Lisa Blunt Rochester, Delaware—deadly EF3 tornado in Sussex County, 2023; Hurricane Sandy, 2012
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John Hickenlooper, Colorado—extreme hail in Boulder, 2023; catastrophic flooding in Boulder in 2013
John Fetterman, Pennsylvania—extreme flooding in Philadelphia in 2021 from remnants of Hurricane Ida; recent tornadoes near Philly; Wheatland PA F5 tornado in 1985
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Tammy Duckworth, Illinois—Chicagoland tornado outbreak, 2024; unwarned Plainfield F5, 1990; Tri-State Tornado of 1925
Jacky Rosen, Nevada—Las Vegas all-time record high of 120 on July 7, 2024
Ben Ray Luján, New Mexico—deadly, record flooding in Roswell in October 2024
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Ed Markey, Massachusetts—Springfield EF3 tornado, 2011; Worcester F4 tornado, 1953; hurricane of 1938
Gary Peters, Michigan—2015 Northern Michigan hailstorm (baseballs & 100 mph winds); Flint F5 tornado, 1953
Tammy Baldwin, Wisconsin—February 2024 tornadoes; 2019 derecho; Barneveld F5, 1984
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Democratic Members
Maria Cantwell, Washington (Ranking Member)—2024 atmospheric river events; frequent major snowstorms in the Cascades
Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota—2022 derecho in western MN; Twin Cities tornado outbreak in 1965
Brian Schatz, Hawaii—2023 Maui wildfires; Hurricane Iniki in 1992
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Tim Sheehy, Montana—2018 Northern Plains derecho; extreme cold snaps and winter storms
Shelley Moore Capito, West Virginia—recorded the most tornadoes in its history in 2024
Cynthia Lummis, Wyoming—baseball size hail in Devils Tower National Monument in 2024
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Eric Schmitt, Missouri—Joplin EF5 tornado in 2011; metro St. Louis EF4 in 2011 (one that hit the airport)
John Curtis, Utah—flooding in Moab in 2024; Salt Lake City tornado of 1999
Bernie Moreno, Ohio—Dayton EF4 tornado, 2019; Niles F5, 1985; Xenia/Super Outbreak disaster of 1974
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Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee—major flooding from Helene in 2024; Nashville EF3 and Cookeville EF4 tornado in 2020
Todd Young, Indiana—Evansville F3 tornado in 2005; Palm Sunday Outbreak in 1965
Ted Budd, North Carolina—devastation from Helene 2024; Raleigh/Fayetteville tornado outbreak in 2011
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Deb Fischer, Nebraska—metro Omaha EF4 tornado, 2024; Grand Island tornado swarm in 1980
Jerry Moran, Kansas—Greensburg EF5 tornado in 2007; Topeka F5 in 1966
Dan Sullivan, Alaska—Mendenhall River major flooding in 2023 and 2024
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Republican Senators:
Ted Cruz, Texas (Chairman)—Houston derecho (2024); Hurricane Harvey (2017); Wimberley floods (2015); so many more historic tornadoes and hurricanes
John Thune, South Dakota—destructive 2024 derecho; also recorded its first tornado in February this week
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NWS falls under the oversight of the Senate Commerce Committee. Here’s a list of the senators who serve on that committee, the states they represent, and recent and/or historic weather events that have affected those states. We need a strong NWS to help protect us against these threats. 2/
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I’m frustrated for you and will keep pressing my elected officials to act to restore the agency.
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I’m not a fan of that line of thinking. There are good people in Oklahoma and they do not deserve to be exposed to the dangers of high-end thunderstorms simply because of this administration’s reckless disregard for the National Weather Service.
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EMC develops and runs the weather prediction computer models, so we can plan everything. For where I live, it lets us know of things like flooding and fire weather risks on the way up to 10 days out. South Carolina flooding from Helene was also predicted by these models days ahead of time.