FEMA chief out, NOAA disaster database cut as Houston braces for hurricane season
By Roberto Villalpando, Tanya Babbar,
Staff writers
Updated May 9, 2025 6:37 p.m.
Major changes made this week by the Trump administration at the nation’s top weather and disaster response agencies could have an outsized effect on Houston and Southeast Texas as we prepare for a busy hurricane season that starts in a few weeks.
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Firing FEMA Head;
No updates to NOAA weather database;
NWS throughout Texas (including Houston/Galveston) have leadership vacancies and staffing cuts. Don’t know about Brownsville and Corpus Christi but assume the worst. These 3 NWS stations provide local hurricane statements, coastal flooding alerts and small craft advisories for approx 471 miles of coastal Texas.
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Earlier this week, U.S. House Reps. Lizzie Fletcher, Sylvia Garcia and Al Green — all Democrats — sought answers from NOAA about the three leadership vacancies at the regional National Weather Service office for Southeast Texas.
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They sent a letter asking NOAA Chief of Staff Laura Grimm to respond by May 30 to 10 questions that ask about the timeline to fill the leadership roles; the level of staffing for the upcoming hurricane season; the quality of services because of reduced staffing; and the circumstances of employee exits in the past few months.
As of Friday, the website for the weather service showed 11 of 25 listed positions as vacant.
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June 1st Hurricane Season begins. Tropical Storm Alberto (2024), Hurricane Alex (2010), and Hurricane Bonnie (1986) all hit Texas in June.
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