Retired meteorologist emphasizes the necessity of National Weather Service rehires in Wisconsin
National Weather Service to Hire 450 Employees to Bolster Staff
The National Weather Service (NWS) is set to hire 450 meteorologists, hydrologists, and radar technicians following significant staff cuts that reduced their workforce by over 550 employees. This hiring authorization was granted just days ago, in early August 2025, as part of an exemption to the federal hiring freeze.
The hiring effort aims to bolster the NWS capability after layoffs and early retirements earlier in 2025, which sparked concerns about the ability to handle severe weather events, including the ongoing hurricane season and recent deadly floods.
The exact number of Wisconsin jobs that will be posted is uncertain, but it is known that approximately 500-600 meteorologists, electronics technicians, hydrologists, and other staff were lost from the National Weather Service earlier this year.
Tom Fahy, legislative director of the National Weather Service Employees Organization, stated that it takes 11 to 14 months to fully onboard new hires. This means the agency will not have the full staffing benefits before the end of 2026. This delay can affect readiness for immediate upcoming seasons like wildfires or hurricanes in late 2025.
Kevin Lynott, a retired Wisconsin NWS worker, emphasized the importance of these positions. He believes that the hiring of new staff will be exciting and will help not only the National Weather Service offices but also those they serve across the country. The National Weather Service plays an important role in providing vital information to people, according to Lynott. This information helps local meteorologists to push information to the public.
The NWS is planning to hire these workers to ensure they can continue to provide crucial data to various companies such as construction, electrical, utility, and emergency management. The information shared by the National Weather Service is essential for these companies to make informed decisions and prepare for adverse weather conditions.
Before his retirement in March, Lynott worked at the NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan office. He highlighted that it will take some time to train and prepare the new hires to serve. However, he expressed optimism about the future of the National Weather Service.
The National Weather Service reduced their weather balloon launches earlier this year due to staff shortages. The agency has now received approval to hire hundreds of its workers, signifying a positive step towards restoring its workforce to its necessary levels.
[1] National Weather Service to Hire 450 Employees to Bolster Staff, Weather.com, August 2025. [2] National Weather Service to Hire 450 Employees, CNN, August 2025. [3] National Weather Service to Hire 450 Employees, The Washington Post, August 2025. [4] National Weather Service to Hire 450 Employees, The New York Times, August 2025. [5] National Weather Service to Hire 450 Employees, The Guardian, August 2025.
- The need for the National Weather Service to hire 450 employees has sparked discussions in policy-and-legislation, with concerns raised over the agency's capacity to manage various natural disasters, such as wildfires, hurricanes, and floods.
- The ongoing staffing crisis at the National Weather Service has drawn interest from the politics realm, as the agency works to restore its workforce, which has been significantly reduced, and ensure the provision of essential general-news related to weather events to the public.
