Houston-area U.S. Representatives Lizzie Fletcher, Sylvia Garcia, and Al Green have sent a letter to federal authorities expressing concern over staffing vacancies at the National Weather Service (NWS) office in Houston, with hurricane season scheduled to begin on June 1.
In the letter, the lawmakers referred to the situation as a “staffing crisis” and requested urgent attention to ensure the office is prepared for potential severe weather events.
They noted that several key positions— including the meteorologist-in-charge, the warning coordination meteorologist, and the science and operations officer—are expected to become vacant.
The representatives emphasized the importance of maintaining staffing levels to ensure the NWS can issue timely and accurate warnings during storms.
They urged federal officials to outline steps for filling the vacancies and ensuring continued operations during the hurricane season.
As of Tuesday, there has been no official response from federal agencies to the lawmakers’ letter.