Weather Service Struggles to Rebuild After Staff Cuts

The National Weather Service is in a tough spot. They're trying to hire back staff after big cuts, but it's not going fast enough. Right now, they're short on people, especially as winter storms are coming. The Weather Service got permission to hire 450 new people after about 550 were let go earlier this year. But so far, only around 80 job offers have been accepted. This means many forecast offices are working with fewer people than they need, which could make weather predictions less accurate. Experts are worried. They think the lack of staff could delay important weather warnings. One expert said, "We don't have enough people to do the job right. " Some offices can't even launch weather balloons twice a day like they should. This can make weather models less reliable. The Weather Service is trying to hire faster. They've seen a lot of job applications and are working to fill the positions. But even if they hire all 450 people, they'll still have fewer staff than before the cuts. A spokesperson said the Weather Service is ready for winter. But with fewer people on the job, it's hard to know if that's really true. Winter storms can be dangerous, and accurate weather predictions are important to keep people safe.