Sudden loss of key US satellite data could send hurricane forecasting back ‘decades’

<p>Scientists left scrambling amid hurricane season after defense department says it will drop irreplaceable program</p><p>The Department of Defense will halt a critical atmospheric data collection program at the end of June and has given weather forecasters just days to prepare, according to a <a href="https://www.ospo.noaa.gov/data/messages/2025/06/MSG_20250625_1735.html">public notice</a> sent this week. Scientists that the Guardian spoke with say the change could set hurricane forecasting back “decades”, just as this year’s season ramps up.</p><p>In a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) message sent on Wednesday to its scientists, the agency said that “due to recent service changes” the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) will “discontinue ingest, processing and distribution of all DMSP data no later than June 30, 2025”.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/28/noaa-cuts-hurricane-forecasting-climate">Continue reading...</a>