The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has been exempted from a federal hiring freeze to fill in forecasting gaps left by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) earlier this year, according to reports.
A spokesperson for NOAA declined to confirm the hiring news or say whether National Weather Service offices in Oklahoma could gain new workers.
StateImpact in February reported probationary employees, who include new hires and promoted workers, were fired as part of DOGE’s federal savings program. Some personnel at the National Weather Center have since taken early retirement options to satisfy the federal workforce reduction.
CNN reported the agency aims to onboard 450 meteorologists, hydrologists and radar technicians. Weather service offices in Norman and Tulsa each have a few vacant positions, according to their websites, which could be eligible for new hires.
Meteorologists and scientists have warned that a leaner weather service would impact forecasting and public safety. Workers are tasked with updating forecasts throughout the day and night, often coordinating with local officials when natural disasters occur.
The U.S. House Appropriations Committee unveiled a proposed budget cut of about $380 million to NOAA in July. Tom Cole (R-Okla) chairs the committee and has expressed support for the National Weather Service through interviews. His office did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.
The spending reduction recommended in the committee’s bill would be significantly less than NOAA’s budget estimate released in April. The U.S. House is currently on break until Sept. 2.
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