#weather-forecasting

#weather-forecasting

Providence, for example, had 7 inches of snow on the ground before Monday's storm and now has over 40 inches. So, it doesn't take a scientist to know that several feet of snow is going to take a bit to melt.

Avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE (Level 3 of 5) across Colorado's Northern and Central mountains, and is expected to remain elevated through the weekend. In many areas, backcountry travelers can easily trigger avalanches in new storm snow, and some avalanches may break into deeper buried weak layers. An additional round of snow Friday night will increase avalanche danger in the Southern Mountains as the holiday weekend continues.

When I spoke with emergency management officials last year, they all mentioned the same frustrating scenario. People ignore storm warnings until the precipitation starts falling, then suddenly everyone rushes out at once. The roads become congested with anxious drivers, accidents spike, and stores run out of essentials just when people need them most. But here's what really gets meteorologists worked up about this pattern. Modern weather forecasting has become incredibly accurate, especially for major winter storms.

The National Weather Service (NWS) experienced severe staffing shortages due to federal workforce reductions, impeding their ability to manage critical weather forecasts during catastrophic flooding.

Ted Cruz ensured the Republican spending bill slashed funding for weather forecasting, then went on vacation to Greece while Texas faced deadly flooding. Cruz visited Greece on Saturday after a flash flood killed over 100 people in Texas, including children at a camp, during which he promised lawmakers' response upon his return. Cruz acknowledged that something went wrong with the warning system for the flood, emphasizing the need for a better system of alerts to get children to safety.

Accurate weather forecasts alone aren't enough to save lives; local authorities must interpret warnings, communicate them, and assist communities in evacuating effectively.

Knowing what's going on inside a storm is crucial to knowing what's going to happen to people in its path, meteorologists said.

Doppler radar has revolutionized how we've been able to issue warnings... Losing radar capabilities would take us back in time by four decades, says Jana Houser.