Storm Warning - Why Slashing Science Jobs Puts Us All at Risk

A Lesson from the Past: The Galveston Hurricane of 1900

The morning of September 8, 1900, dawned uneventfully in Galveston, Texas. By nightfall, the city was in ruins, swallowed by a hurricane storm surge that killed between 6,000 and 12,000 people—the deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history. Residents had little warning. The U.S. Weather Bureau (now the National Weather Service) was in its infancy, and its ability to track and forecast hurricanes was primitive at best.

1900 Galveston Hurricane Destroys City

By the time the storm passed over Cuba and reached a position just northwest of Key West, forecasters were convinced it would continue to track to the northeast. However, once in the Gulf of Mexico, the system began to strengthen and veer westward, on a collision course with the Texas coast. Since wireless ship-to-shore communications were not yet available, there was no way to know just when and where the hurricane would strike.

Path of the 1900 Galveston hurricane

There was a Galveston Weather Station and its chief, Isaac M. Cline, became very suspicious of the weather on September 7. He ordered hurricane warning flags to be flown. The Great Galveston Hurricane devastated the city with winds of 130 to 140 miles per hour and a storm surge of over 15 feet. When its fury finally abated, 3,600 buildings were destroyed, and damage estimates exceeded $20 million ($700 million in today's dollars).

With today's technology, such as Doppler radar, hurricane hunter aircraft, satellite imagery, and sophisticated modeling, the destruction could have been a fraction of what it was. Today, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Weather Service (NWS) are the first line of defense, issuing life-saving forecasts and warnings. But climate change is intensifying hurricanes, making them wetter, stronger, and more unpredictable. And we face an additional threat: the erosion of the very systems that protect us. Recent layoffs at the agencies born from Galveston's ashes risk repeating history. When we cut the workforce tasked with predicting disasters, we gamble with lives, economies, and our future in a warming world. NOAA employees predict that cuts could degrade the quality of the agency's weather forecasts and affect alerts about extreme weather like tornadoes and hurricanes immediately and in the long term.

Coastal communities, first responders, businesses, homeowners, and the economy will be at risk. Nearly 40% of the U.S. population lives in coastal counties vulnerable to hurricanes and depend on government forecasts and emergency response coordination. Firefighters, EMTs, and National Guard units rely on accurate predictions to prepare for disaster relief efforts. Slower or inaccurate forecasts put them in greater danger.

Instead of cutting back, we should move forward. Strengthen NOAA and NWS by investing in additional personnel and updated forecasting technology. Fund climate resilience projects, including coastal fortifications, flood barriers, and sustainable urban planning, to prevent losses before they occur. Increase public awareness campaigns about evacuation routes, emergency supplies, and response strategies to save lives. Support international collaboration to enhance data sharing and response capabilities.

The lesson of Galveston in 1900 was clear. Without warning systems, disaster is inevitable. Today, we have the tools to prevent such tragedies, but only if we maintain the workforce and funding that keep those tools operational. Cutting scientific and emergency personnel is not just a budget decision; it's a life-and-death gamble. When the next hurricane strikes, will we be ready or will we have dismantled our defenses?

The Future

One hundred years ago this week, on March 18, 1925, the worst tornado in U.S. history occurred. The Tri-State Tornado began in the afternoon of March 18, 1925, in Ellington, Missouri. The storm ravaged Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana for four hours over 200 miles. It was unexpected. About 695 people died, almost 2,000 were injured, and thousands were left homeless, even townless.

A large tornado outbreak like the Tri-State Tornado could strike again, but experts say we're better prepared than 100 years ago. Modern weather monitoring techniques help meteorologists warn the public. Last week, an exceptionally intense storm system ravaged the nation, causing more than 50 tornadoes, wildfires, and 42 deaths. Without present-day warning systems, it would have been worse.

The U.S. has been a global leader in science and technology since World War II, fostering innovation and economic growth. But recent cutbacks have set off alarm bells. Federal workers from various agencies warn that dismantling scientific research programs – NOAA, NSF, NIH, VA, CDC, universities, etc. - could lead to irreparable damage.

We must ask ourselves. In the future, will the prevention and mitigation of disasters and diseases improve? Or worsen?