AFTER RECORD BREAKING STORM FILLED SUMMER IN WESTERN NY, SCHUMER LAUNCHES MAJOR PUSH TO INCREASE FED $$$ TO UPGRADE NY & NATION’S NETWORK FOR TRACKING MAJOR WEATHER; AMID[...]

Despite Increase In Severe Weather Across Western NY & Country, Anti-Government Extremists Are Proposing Completely Dismantling The National Weather Service & NOAA; Senator Says Now Is More Important Than Ever To INCREASE $$$ For Forecasting

After Last Week's Tornadoes Broke The Record For Most Tornadoes Annually For New York, Schumer Launches Push For $30M Fed Investment To Boost NY's Network Of Monitoring Systems-Known As Mesonets-And Increase Funding For NOAA's Weather Satellites Which Play Critical Role In Storm Data GatheringFor Emergency Response & Safety At Buffalo's NWS HQ

Schumer: Recent Storms Show We Need Strongest Most Up To Date Weather-Tracking Possible To Keep Buffalo & Western NY Safe & Prepared

Standing at Buffalo's National Weather Service HQ, after a record-setting month of tornadoes and extreme weather ravaged Upstate NY, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer doubled down on his push to increase federal funding for the nation's weather monitoring systems and NY's advanced regional weather early warning systems known as mesonets which help cover every single county in NY. Schumer said recent weather shows that we need to be making these investments to help keep communities like Western NY safe and prepared, especially amid new extreme proposals to dismantle and cut the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) & the National Weather Service (NWS), which would not only risk defunding the weather programs people rely on, but also critical weather data getting stuck behind a paywall.

"Everyone in Buffalo knows the power of Mother Nature whether it be from a lake effect snowstorm or the rare tornado like we saw last week. We're seeing increasing extreme weather, and that means we need to invest in the most advanced weather tracking technology for Western NY and our national weather observation systems to keep our communities safe and prepared," said Senator Schumer. "While some in Washington want to cut our weather programs, I am here today to say that we should be increasing funding to upgrade our nation's weather monitoring services. Having real-time, minute-by-minute weather updates with hyper-local data like we are able to get from NY's mesonet system and from Buffalo's Nation Weather Service HQ is absolutely essential. As this summer of record-breaking extreme weather has shown, it is more important than ever to focus on prioritizing federal funding for the National Weather Service to ensure that our systems aren't just running, but state-of-the-art."

Schumer said that recent severe storms, like the remnants of tropical storm Debby over the weekend which caused devastating flooding across much of Upstate NY and multiple tornadoes that touched down in Erie County and broke New York's record for the most tornadoes in a year, show how in the midst of global weather changes, storms can often move, meander, and mystify meteorologists and it's more important than ever to invest in weather systems to keep Upstate NY safe and prepared for extreme storms. Yet new proposals in Washington have called for the dismantling of NOAA and the National Weather Service, saying it should "fully commercialize its forecasting operations." Schumer vowed to fight these efforts and detailed how he plans to push for new funding to boost our ability to track, monitor and inform forecasts matters.

"We need to give our nation's weather observation system more support-not less. You don't need to be a weatherman to forecast that cutting these services would cause major problems for Western NY-ers who rely on having real-time accurate weather data for storms from both the National Weather Service and our mesonet program. New York has one of the strongest mesonet programs in the country with at least one in every county. We need to keep strengthening it because as recent storms show we need the sharpest forecasts possible so we are prepared for whatever punches Mother Nature delivers," added Schumer.

"Every second counts when bad weather strikes, and as we have seen in recent weeks bad weather can turn violent and destructive in a matter of seconds. Here in Erie County, we have experienced three tornadoes within the past month, something that's never happened before. It is unbelievable that anti-government extremists are seeking to defund the very agencies and weather services that provide early warning forecasts when bad weather is approaching, which would mean that more people will be needlessly put in danger," said Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz. "I thank Senator Schumer for pushing for increased funding for these critical forecasting services, which can make all the difference between communities being safe or being destroyed."

"As we face increasingly severe weather here in Buffalo and across the nation, it's essential that we continue to invest in ways to keep our communities safe," said Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown. "Cutting funding for agencies like NOAA and the National Weather Service at a time like this is not only shortsighted but dangerous. We need to prioritize strengthening our weather forecasting capabilities to ensure we're prepared for whatever Mother Nature throws our way and I thank Leader Schumer for his continued advocacy."

Specifically, the senator said he is pushing for a critical $30 million in federal funding - a $10 million increase from last year -for the National Mesonet Program. New York's Mesonet network is comprised of 127 stations, spaced an average of 19 miles apart, with at least one station located in each of New York's 62 counties. The NYS Mesonet provides real-time data to operational forecasters and emergency managers from across the state with updates every five minutes. These data are combined with data from other surface networks, weather radar, and satellite to provide real-time weather information and to improve numerical weather prediction models for even greater accuracy and precision than ever before, giving emergency managers and forecasters much greater confidence in their warning products and in subsequent protective action. Of the state's 127 stations, 17 include advanced laser technology known as LiDAR, and sustained federal investment will help expand this even further. Locally, the Mesonet network sites include: Buffalo, Burt, East Aurora, Brant, and more.

Schumer said in last year's budget he was able to secure millions for the Mesonet system and that it will be put to work right now, but he said more is needed to keep pace with the extraordinary weather changes afoot. He said that the technology exists to achieve these goals. Schumer warned that without upgrades or delayed investment in NY's system, local forecasting ability could be hampered by deferred systems maintenance and decreased federal operations support, which could impact both storm prediction and public safety.

Schumer also said he is pushing for increased funding for NOAA's large weather satellites program which operates the nation's satellites that collect data used by the National Weather Service and more, and he is pushing for an over $100 million increase to boost this program in the final appropriations bill. These satellites provide real-time tracking and monitoring of storms and hurricanes, helping to complement the Mesonet. Schumer also shared his support for increasing funding for the new national radar network and NOAA's Regional Ocean Observing System, which covers the Great Lakes. Schumer is pushing to strategically grow the system based on the highest priority needs of the region to support disaster response, weather forecasting, hurricane prediction, and more, which in conjunction with Mesonet services, will help improve severe weather forecasting in Upstate New York and beyond.

"I appreciate Senator Schumer's effort to improve the technology and observations we need to meet our mission," said Ken Graham, director of NOAA's National Weather Service. "Investment in tools that lead to better weather forecasts will improve public safety."

"Over the past two years, western New York has experienced rare, extreme weather, ranging from record breaking lake effect snowstorms to the unprecedented number of tornadoes that occurred this summer," said Michael Fries, meteorologist in charge of the National Weather Service office in Buffalo. "Continued funding for technology and observations is essential to improve the forecasts and warnings serving the people of western New York. I appreciate Senator Schumer's support to make this happen."

Schumer's $30 million dollar push for the national Mesonet system via the National Mesonet Program (NMP) is a public-private partnership in concert with NOAA and the National Weather Service (NWS) to cost-effectively leverage available commercial and other non-Federal weather data to maximize the public benefit. Schumer said the national system needs this funding to be maintained, expanded, and provided similar upgrades to New York's, which is why he is pushing for a $10 million increase in funding for the national program compared to last year's federal budget. With 127 existing stations in New York, much of this funding will flow to the state to maintain its Mesonet, one of the best in the country.

Experts say that the value of the Mesonet is that it improves the situational awareness of emergency managers and first responders on the ground immediately before, during and after a weather emergency by helping answer key questions like, what just happened, what is happening right now, what is likely about to happen next? Experts say that these are potentially life-and-death questions when flooding rains are falling. The Mesonet provides critical amounts of new data that answers those questions in real-time in a way that was not possible before it was built - specifically during past storms Irene, Lee and Sandy. Combined with further investments in supercomputing, weather monitoring aircraft, and radar, the Mesonet data is another critical tool in the country's pocket for addressing worsening storms.

"As we exit this extreme summer weather and get prepared for another winter in Buffalo, we need to be fully prepared. Without federal investment, New York's weather forecasting ability could become partly cloudy but its needs to be as clear as possible so that we can keep Western NY and the country prepared and safe," Schumer concluded.

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