Weather Forecasts Are About To Get More Accurate

The House of Representatives has passed a bill which aims to make weather forecasting in the U.S. more accurate.

The Weather Act Reauthorization Act, H.R. 6093, will modernize research programs, expand the government weather agency's access to commercial data, and strengthen emergency preparedness by improving hurricane and tornado forecasting, among other things.

The bill, which was introduced by House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Frank Lucas, a Republican representative from Oklahoma, passed on Tuesday.

It is the first major reauthorization of weather programs at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the government agency in charge of forecasting weather and monitoring the Earth's atmosphere, since 2017.

"I cannot stress enough how crucial it is to invest in our country's weather system," Lucas said in a press release.

"The tornadoes that occurred over the weekend serve as a reminder of the need for early and accurate forecasting of severe weather. And it's not only in emergencies but also in our daily routines, from deciding what to wear in the morning to efficiently planning when to plant crops."

In the past week, parts of the central U.S. including Oklahoma and Nebraska were struck by tornadoes, leaving at least five people dead.

The new bill will bolster emergency preparedness by improving the communication of weather and water events to the public.

Accurate weather forecasting can be life-saving as it can enable emergency services to prepare for potential disasters and can help communities take appropriate precautions such as sheltering in place or evacuating.

It also has economic benefits, as several industries such as farming and energy utilities rely on forecasting to plan ahead and adapt to weather conditions.

The bipartisan bill will improve and modernize research programs authorized by the Weather Act of 2017.

It was co-sponsored by 29 Republican and Democratic members, and Lucas thanked his Democratic colleague, Representative Zoe Lofgren of California, for her support.

"I want to thank Ranking Member Lofgren, my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, and our valuable stakeholders for supporting this critical piece of legislation. I am proud to lead another comprehensive weather bill that will undoubtedly impact every American," Lucas said.

The bill was one of six bipartisan Science Committee bills passed which addressed a range of issues relating to energy and environment, and research and technology.

Others included a measure to establish a program to improve fire weather forecasting and another to increase transparency of Department of Energy spending.

"Five of these bills aim to address the impacts of the climate crisis and will help enable a more climate-resilient future," Lofgren said in a press release.