Severe weather events like hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods pose a significant threat to life and property in the United States. Recently we have seen devastating flooding in West Virginia,Texas, and North Carolina. These separate weather events have destroyed homes, businesses and recreation facilities, costing billions of dollars and over 200 people lost their lives, including many children and disabled people. More are still missing!

A national warning system for weather is crucial in mitigating the impact of these events, saving lives, and reducing risk. In this editorial, we will explore the importance of a fully staffed, properly functional national warning system, its benefits, and why it is essential for the United States.

Timely warnings are critical in saving lives during severe weather events. A national warning system can enable authorities to disseminate critical information to the public quickly, allowing people to take necessary precautions and seek safety. According to the National Weather Service (NWS), timely warnings can reduce the risk of injury and death by up to 50%. The cost and benefits of a fully staffed NWS far outweigh the expense associated with the destruction and losses suffered from these weather events.

Advances in radar technology, satellite imaging, and computer modeling have significantly improved the accuracy and timeliness of weather forecasts and warnings. A national warning system can leverage these technologies to provide more accurate and timely warnings, saving lives and reducing risk.

By providing timely and accurate warnings, people can prepare and respond to severe weather events more effectively. While there are challenges and limitations to consider, cuts to the weather warning system likely contributed to the death toll in the recent flooding. According to reports, staffing shortages at the National Weather Service (NWS) offices, resulting from budget cuts, may have impaired the coordination of severe weather warnings with local emergency management officials, which may have led to delayed or inadequate warnings that could have saved lives.

Those staffing shortages in critical positions included warning coordination meteorologists and science officers, whose roles are essential for planning with local emergency managers, issuing timely alerts, and coordinating evacuations.

While the NWS issued flash flood warnings, it was too little too late. Some residents reported receiving no phone warnings at all, while others ignored alerts due to their frequency. It is essential for the United States to invest in a national warning system that can provide timely and accurate warnings, saving lives and reducing risk. These weather events are a clear and present danger to our country and citizens.The responsibility of our government is to provide the same level of protections they would provide in the event of a war.

To improve the effectiveness of a national warning system, we recommend restoring adequate funding and staffing to support the development and maintenance of our national warning system. Explore advances in technology to improve the accuracy and timeliness of weather forecasts and warnings. And educate the public on the importance of weather warnings and the actions they can take to stay safe during severe weather events. Do so in a meaningful way, as if your life depends on it. (It does)! In flash floods like we’ve experienced recently, the saying “Turn around don’t drown” is not enough. We need a dependable system of quick and efficient warnings if we are going to save lives.

By working together, we can create a national warning system that saves lives and reduces risk, protecting our communities from the impact of severe weather events.

Kerr County, Texas, where most deaths occurred, didn’t have a local flood warning system, which might have mitigated the disaster’s impact. Flash floods happen quickly and impacted communities and people have very little time to move to safety. Tragedies like these highlight the importance of adequate funding and staffing for weather warning systems to prevent such disasters in the future.