AI Weather Forecasts Missed the Texas Floods, and Trump NOAA Cuts Will Stymie Research

image via New Scientist

July 15, 2025, 6:15 PM

• •AI weather models failed to predict the Texas floods as accurately as traditional models.
• •Proposed budget cuts to NOAA could hinder the development of AI weather forecasting.
• •Experts express concerns about AI's ability to forecast extreme weather events due to limited data on such occurrences.
• •Public-private partnerships could help NOAA advance AI weather systems, but require continued research infrastructure.

AI weather models were unable to accurately predict the recent Texas floods, with traditional models performing better. Experts highlight that budget cuts to NOAA, along with lagging federal investment, are major obstacles for improving AI weather models. Concerns are raised about AI's ability to forecast extreme weather events due to a lack of training data. Public-private partnerships are suggested to boost AI weather system development, though this hinges on maintaining NOAA's research capabilities.

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