AUDIO DESCRIPTION:
Jordan Booker, Reporter: The staffing cuts to the national weather made by the Trump Administration might have ramifications here in Syracuse. The local NWS station in Binghamton was already short-staffed prior to these cuts. Chief Meteorologist for WSYR-TV Jim Teske, says that there could be delayed weather alerts due to short staffing.
Jim Teske, Chief Meteorologist for WSYR-TV: The longer it goes with them being short-staffed staffed the greater the chance that you know a warning does not get issued in a timely fashion. For example, a tornado warning you have maybe 10 or 15 minutes warning because you’re short-staffed now it’s two or three minutes, and that can make a big difference.
Booker: While these cuts were made at the federal level, there is something residents can do to make their voices heard. Teske has already written to New York State Congressman John Manion about the cuts and urges those concerned to do the same.
Teske: Contact your congressman or senator. They’re in a position where they could do something, whether it’s try to get some of the funding back, and the only way that they know that that’s important is if their constituents are letting them know.
Booker: There might not be an immediate effect on Syracuse residents getting weather alerts, but Teske says keep watching your local news stations for the latest weather warnings and alerts. This is Jordan Booker, NCC news.
Syracuse, N.Y. (NCC News) — Syracuse could see slower weather warnings and alerts due to staffing cuts at the National Weather Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, according to a local meteorologist.
The National Weather Service stations around the country send out the earliest weather warnings and alerts for severe weather events like tornadoes, flash floods and winter storms to their local news stations and residents.
Cuts made by the Trump administration earlier this spring have led to the loss of about 600 NWS employees nationwide and left roughly a dozen stations without 24-hour staffing.
Jim Teske, chief meteorologist for WSYR-TV, said while there haven’t been any short-term effects the long-term impact on Syracuse could be significant.
“In the short term we’re probably okay,” Teske said. “But the longer it goes with them being short-staffed, the greater the chance that, you know, a warning does not get issued in a timely fashion. For example, a tornado warning—typically you might have maybe 10- or 15-minutes’ warning. Because you’re short-staffed, maybe now it’s two or three minutes, and that can make a big difference.”
For the Syracuse area, the nearest National Weather Service station is in Binghamton, New York, and staffing was already a concern before the cuts this spring, according to Teske.
Although the cuts were made at the federal level, Teske urged residents to contact their state representatives or senators to express concerns about the potential impact on public safety.