r/EmergencyManagement • u/WatchTheBoom I support the plan • 23d ago

Hurricane Hunters punching through the eyewall of Hurricane Erin

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u/Stunning-Egg459 23d ago

Didn’t Trump defund this program?

59

u/WatchTheBoom I support the plan 23d ago edited 22d ago

Yes and no.

Not the Hurricane Hunters program itself, but they reduced the number of air frames and standby air crews, essentially limiting data collection flights to only those storms that might impact the continental US instead of every storm, as a default.

Additionally, many of the scientists that support the flights aren't members of the actual HH program - their travel budget was slashed, so the roster to support the flights with actual scientific muscle (and therefore the whole point to green-light a flight) has been severely reduced.

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u/MickyFany 22d ago

idk, NOAA still has 12,000 employees but suddenly can’t do weather related research