The Jackson, Kentucky, weather service office recently cut overnight staff but meteorologists were called in to handle the deadly tornado outbreak.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.nz/post/22957102

As destructive and deadly tornadoes bared down on Kentucky, National Weather Service officials triaged to provide life-saving forecasts and warnings amid federal staffing cuts.

At least 23 people in the state died from powerful tornadoes that ripped through overnight May 16, and Gov. Andy Beshear said the death toll was expected to rise.

Most of the deaths were concentrated in the eastern part of the state, which is served by the weather service’s Jackson, Kentucky, forecast office.

The office is one of four forecast offices that no longer has overnight staffing because of a shortage of meteorologists, according to Tom Fahy, legislative director for the weather service employees union. Hundreds have left the agency amid cuts ordered by the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk, to slash the cost and size of the federal government.

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