Uncensored, Unrestricted Discourse: The Shutdown of NWS Language Translations
Weather Authority Discontinues Translation of Reports for Non-English-Speaking Individuals
Yo, let's chat about the National Weather Service (NWS) dropping language translations for their weather alerts. This move could put millions of non-English speakers in a precarious position, potentially even their lives at risk during extreme weather events.
The NWS, y'know, the folks who give us our daily weather forecast and crucial alerts about severe weather, has stopped providing language translations because their contract with Lilt, an AI translation provider, has expired. NWS spokesperson Michael Musher confirmed the change but clammed up about further details.
Lilt began offering translations back in late 2023, replacing the labor-intensive, manually executed translations that the NWS previously employed. Lilt eventually provided translations in five languages: Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French, and Samoan. But now, with the contract lapse, the translations have ground to a halt.
It's all happening under the Trump administration's push to slash spending in federal agencies, including cuts within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that have led to high employee absences at NWS offices. NOAA referred questions about the contract to their website, while Lilt chose not to comment.
Statistics show that nearly 68 million people in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home, including 42 million Spanish speakers. Not being able to understand urgent weather alerts could mean life or death.
A tragic event like the 2021 deadly tornado outbreak in Kentucky underscores this. Joseph Trujillo-Falcón, a researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, shared a chilling story. A Spanish-speaking family, who received an English weather alert on their phone but ignored it because they didn't understand it, later sought shelter when a Spanish alert was received. The alert saved their lives.
Translating weather alerts used to be handled by multi-lingual forecasters, but this task was overwhelming alongside their normal forecasting duties. The translations provide essential information beyond severe weather events, impacting various sectors like tourism, transportation, and energy.
Not having access to weather information in their native language could be disastrous for many Americans who function with limited English. A shopkeeper, for example, might manage conversations with customers easily, but struggle with understanding weather or climate terminologies.
Professor Norma Mendoza-Denton of the University of California, Los Angeles, emphasizes the importance of providing translated information: "If they don't have access to NWS information in their different languages, that could be the difference between life and death for someone."
[1] https://www.nws.gov/[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Weather_Service
- We should be concerned about the potential consequences of the National Weather Service (NWS) no longer providing language translations for their weather alerts, especially in 2023 when their contract with Lilt, an AI translation provider, expired.
- The lack of language translations could pose significant risks, particularly for employees who are non-English speakers, as they may not fully understand urgent weather alerts, potentially putting their lives at risk during extreme weather events.
- In light of the importance of providing translated weather information, it is crucial to advocate for the reinstatement of language translations by the NWS to ensure the safety and well-being of all Americans, regardless of their language background.
