This morning on Miami Public Radio, I heard a story about comments from Bill Proenza, the new administrator of the NHC. He had comments on two issues that directly impact weather enthusiasts around the USA.
First, he said that the NHC's research budget was cut by approx $700,000 this year while the parent organization, NOAA, went ahead with $4 million in parties for PR and "brand recognition" for NOAA. I've become quite used to bureaucratic imbecility over the past 5 years, but this is completely OTT. For those of us in hurricane country, the work the NHC does is incredibly important and, while they have significantly improved track and intensity forecasts, we all know there is much more that can be done. That work requires research, not parties.
Second, he said that his managers want to do away with the name "National Weather Service," rewriting it as "NOAA Weather Service." Of course, this change fits with their party plans. Meanwhile, if so many people in the general public ignore warnings/forecasts from the "National" service, do they think people are going to pay more attention to something from an unknown agency "NOAA?" More likely, the public will just think it's something from an ark builder.
Please join me in writing Senators and Representatives as well as the chief administrator of NOAA that these changes really MUST be reversed.
PS. The powers that manage the CFHC website have ruled that this post, although of huge import and impact on all weather/hurricane enthusiasts, must be placed on this somewhat out of the way board. Hopefully, someone will get the message that these are really hurtful changes to an agency we really depend on.
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HOW STUPID CAN NOAA BE? More Than You Would Believe!
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