National Weather Service staffing shortages raise concerns as winter begins

As winter weather ramps up in intensity, the National Weather Service is working to fill critical roles, such as meteorologists, technical experts and scientists.

Rick Spinrad, the former National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration administrator, warned staffing shortages could have serious consequences, especially if a major storm hits the D.C. region.

He said every position at a forecast office plays a vital role, from analyzing storm models to helping local governments decide where to salt highways, such as Interstate 95.

“Each person working in that forecast office is doing a different kind of function, and if any of those functions are unfilled, it means basically that piece of the forecast, that piece of critical information, may not be available at all or in a timely fashion,