(WXMI) — Hundreds of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) workers who were on probationary status were fired Thursday.
Some meteorologists who made predictions for the National Weather Service (NWS) were among those who were let go.
The layoffs are part of the Trump administration’s effort to reduce the size of the U.S. federal government and balance the national budget.
Job cuts appear to be made in two rounds and will affect roughly 10% of NOAA’s workforce, according to sources close to the Associated Press.
National Politics
Mass layoffs at NOAA jeopardize American lives, lawmakers and experts warn
NOAA supervises the NWS, which shares forecasts, climate information, weather alerts and more.
Central Michigan University (CMU) Meteorology Prof. Marty Baxter tells FOX 17 the NWS plays an especially huge role during severe weather.
“National Weather Service is doing a lot more than just issuing those warnings. They're working with what we call core partners in local and county government,” says Professor Baxter. “They have to maintain their operations 24/7, and then when severe weather happens, they have to make sure that they have the staff available to work there. So even the loss of one or two people in an office can really create a lot of strain on those workers.”
We’re still learning the full impact of the layoffs but we do know they affected the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) in Ann Arbor. They took to social media Thursday, saying, "Due to a reduction in staff, NOAA GLERL's communications services and social media will be taking an indefinite hiatus."
Baxter says the lab monitors water levels and overall quality in the Great Lakes.
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