As a severe weather outbreak became increasingly likely Friday, meteorologists at the National Weather Service office in Jackson, Kentucky, made the decision to call everyone in and staff the overnight shift, according to Tom Fahy, who represents the NWS Employees Union.
The Jackson office is one of at least four such facilities across the country that is so short-staffed that it is no longer routinely operating 24/7.
This NWS office issued tornado warnings ahead of deadly twisters that struck the region, particularly in hard-hit Pulaski and Laurel Counties.
Fahy said staff shortages did not affect the accuracy or timeliness of the tornado warnings that were issued.
“Recognizing the threat of a big severe weather outbreak days in advance, the (Jackson) staff knew they’d have to bring everyone in to save lives with warnings and decision support to local officials,” said a NOAA employee who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal.
The NWS has lost more than 560 employees to the Trump administration’s firings, buyouts and early retirement programs designed to thin the ranks of federal employees. The vacancy rate for meteorologists at the NWS office in Jackson is 31%, Fahy said.
Last week, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced opportunities for 155 meteorologists and other specialized employees to be transferred to offices that have critically low staffing levels in the wake of the personnel cuts, including the Jackson office.
The NOAA staff member warned that the spreading shortages will force more forecast offices to stop operating 24/7, some as soon as this week, and could lead to forecast misses and forecaster burnout.
“With so many NWS offices short staffed across the country, it becomes increasingly difficult to shuffle staff for severe weather, flooding, fires, and the upcoming hurricane season,” they said. “Despite heroic efforts like in (Jackson), you eventually just run out of people until hiring can begin again.”
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