Support: Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Reauthorization Act

I’m writing to urge you to support the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Reauthorization Act of 2026 when it comes to the Senate floor for a vote. This bipartisan legislation, which recently passed the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, represents a critical investment in protecting lives and property across our nation. The need for this bill is undeniable. In 2025 alone, weather disasters cost the United States $115 billion. Recent catastrophic events include atmospheric rivers that devastated western Washington in December 2025, floods in North Carolina following Hurricane Helene in September 2024, the Los Angeles fires in January 2025, and devastating floods in Texas in July 2025. Hundreds of tornadoes struck across the country in 2024. These disasters demonstrate that our current forecasting capabilities are insufficient to meet the challenges of increasingly severe weather events. The Weather Act addresses this gap by modernizing our weather systems and improving forecast accuracy. It updates critical programs including the Tsunami Forecasting and Warning Program, Hurricane Forecast Improvement Project, and Tornado Warning Improvement and Extension Program. The bill also establishes new initiatives such as an atmospheric river forecast improvement program, requires NOAA and the U.S. Geological Survey to consider atmospheric river risks in landslide preparation, creates a project to improve marine fog forecasts, establishes an official Fire Weather Services Program within NOAA, and advances space weather forecasting accuracy. These improvements will help emergency managers, farmers, and families make better informed decisions when severe weather threatens. By moving scientific advances more quickly from the lab to operational forecasts, this legislation will save lives and reduce economic losses. The bill has strong bipartisan support from Senators representing Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Kansas, Montana, Nevada, Texas, and Washington. I urge you to vote yes on the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Reauthorization Act of 2026 when it reaches the Senate floor. Thank you.