AFTER RECORD SETTING 20+ TORNADOES IN UPSTATE NY, SCHUMER LAUNCHES MAJOR $30 MILLION PUSH TO INCREASE FED $$$ TO UPGRADE NY & NATION’S NETWORK FOR TRACKING MAJOR STORMS TO KEEP CENTRAL NY, MOHAWK VALLEY & NORTH COUNTRY PREPARED FOR EXTREME WEATHER
Despite Increasing Severity Of Storms, Anti-Government Extremists In Project 2025 Are Proposing Major Cuts For NOAA & National Weather Service; Senator Says Recent Storms Show Now Is More Important Than Ever To INCREASE $$$ For Forecasting Like NYS Mesonet, Which Covers Storm Tracking For Every County In NY, To Give Communities Early Warning & Preparation For Weather Emergencies
Schumer Doubles Down On Calls For Fed Support For Rome & Communities Across Upstate NY Following Devastating Storms, With FEMA & NYS Actively Finishing Damage Assessment Says They Must Cut Through Red Tape To Get Disaster Declaration ASAP After Requested
Schumer: Recent Storms Show We Need Strongest Most Up To Date Weather-Tracking Possible To Keep CNY, The Mohawk Valley & The North Country Safe & Prepared
After a record-setting 20 tornadoes in July 2024, with 10 occurring in just one day, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer launched his push for $30 million in federal funding – a $10 million increase from last year – for the nation’s network of weather monitoring systems, known as ‘mesonets,’ which NY has in every single county. Schumer said that recent severe storms, like the devastating tornado in Rome, show how in the midst of global weather changes, storms can often move, meander, and mystify meteorologists, and that a state-of-the-art ability to track, monitor and inform a forecast matters more than ever to keep Upstate NY safe and prepared for extreme storms.
“What we saw in Central NY, the Mohawk Valley, and the North Country this month was like a scene out of the movie ‘Twister’ with a record-setting 20+ tornadoes. What we’re seeing more and more across the country is increasing extreme weather that we need to be prepared for, and that means we need to invest in always upgrading to have the most state of the art weather tracking technology to get early emergency warning and fast hyper local data to be prepared for any storm that comes our way,” said Senator Schumer. “New York has one of the strongest mesonet programs in the county with at least one in every county. While some in Washington want to cut our weather programs, I am here today to launch my push to increase funding to upgrade our nation’s weather monitoring services because as recent storms show we need the sharpest forecasts possible so we are prepared for whatever punches Mother Nature delivers.”
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. Schumer said his latest push to increase funding is especially timely, amid new extreme right wing proposals like in Project 2025 and others to dismantle and cut the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) & the National Weather Service (NWS), saying the NWS “fully commercialize its forecasting operations,” which would not only risk funding the weather programs people rely on, but also critical weather data getting stuck behind a paywall.
“As climate change creates the conditions for more extreme weather that devastates communities, as we’ve seen in Rome and across Upstate NY, we need to be giving 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 Upstate NY-ers who rely on have real time accurate weather data for storms. 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,” added Schumer.
Schumer said the New York State Mesonet weather data program unlocks key data from the clouds using advanced instruments at 127 sites around New York and laser technology to monitor the atmosphere. Schumer said past New York hurricanes and tropical storms showed that we need sharper forecasts to better understand storms. 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.
"The Mesonet is a critical network for forecasting, responding to, and researching the impacts of the extreme weather events we now face on an almost daily basis. ESF is proud to host a Mesonet station, working in partnership with the University at Albany, and we thank Senator Schumer for coming to our campus today to fight for the additional federal funding necessary to maintain and improve this extensive network of weather stations throughout the state," said SUNY ESF President Joanie Mahoney. "Our hearts go out to communities impacted by extreme weather, including our neighbors in Rome and Lowville. ESF experienced firsthand the impacts of extreme weather last summer at our regional campus in Newcomb. On behalf of the SUNY ESF family, I applaud Senator Schumer's efforts to deliver the resources impacted communities need as fast as possible."
“For many Romans, the EF-2 tornado that devastated our community earlier this month is the worst weather event of their lifetime. The storm damaged 370+ homes and dozens of businesses, as well as local landmarks like Rome Capitol Theater, the iconic Peter Gansevoort mural, First Presbyterian, and more. Our community is nothing if not resilient, and if there is any silver lining to be found after this tragedy it’s the inspiring way that families, friends, and neighbors have united in support of each other to rebuild the city we all love. But, with damages already expected to cost tens of millions of dollars and growing every day, Rome’s resilience and unity will only get us so far, and we need the support of our state and federal partners as soon as possible,” said Mayor of Rome Jeffery Lanigan. “On behalf of the City of Rome, I would like to thank Senator Schumer for being the representative our community needs right now and working hard to ensure that federal agencies from FEMA to SBA, USDA and more are ready to answer our call for aid as soon as possible. Rome will not be rebuilt in a day, but I look forward to the Senator’s continued support as we embark on the long road to recovery.”
“The extreme weather our community has experienced this month has been unprecedented. Without federal resources, small communities like ours would struggle to recover from flash flooding events like these,” said Lewis County Board of Legislators Chairman Larry Dolhof. “We are grateful for Senator Schumer’s continued advocacy for Lewis County, and we look forward to working together with our federal partners to rebuild our community in the months ahead.”
“With a changing climate and more frequent episodes of extreme weather, we need to be prepared. Increasing funding for advanced weather tracking systems will save lives when severe storms strike in the future,” said Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh. “I thank Majority Leader Schumer for pushing for smart investments that will keep Syracuse residents safe and help us protect our critical infrastructure.”
According to the University at Albany, data from the NYS Mesonet informs forecasters and emergency managers (including those at the NYS DHSES) to help mitigate the harmful effects from high-impact, extreme weather-related disasters by informing emergency alerts, warnings and more. The data collected via these systems is also critical in helping to receive federal aid after a disaster as it is used by NY State to help make the case for the severity of the storm in order to qualify for a disaster declaration.
In response to the tornadoes and flooding that bombarded the region this past month, Schumer has called on FEMA to stand ready to quickly approve a disaster declaration, which must first be requested by New York State upon completion of the damage assessment that is actively underway. This past week, the governor requested a federal Emergency Declaration, which would authorize FEMA to provide reimbursement for debris removal operations and emergency protective measures. Schumer said today he has already written to the administration to swiftly approve this request.
Schumer added, “As soon as I saw how severe the damage was in Rome and the Mohawk Valley, I spoke with my good friend Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente as well as the Governor and pledged to support in any way I could. I told them that I was in their corner and working at the highest levels of government to make sure FEMA cuts through the bureaucratic red tape and works as swiftly as possible to deliver federal resources so that communities from Rome to Lowville and across Upstate NY can get on the road to recovery.”
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 and an average station spacing of about 19 miles. 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. All data is transmitted in real-time to the University at Albany, where it is quality controlled and archived, and then disseminated to a variety of users, including local meteorologists. A majority of stations are run off of solar power and communicate via cellular signals. 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: Jordan, Fayetteville, Tully, Central Square, Morrisville, and more.
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 provide similar upgrades like 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.
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 compliment the Mesonet. Schumer also shared his support for 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 and hurricane prediction, and more, which in conjunction with Mesonet services, will help improve severe weather forecasting in Upstate New York and beyond.
“Without federal investment, New York’s weather forecasting ability could become partly cloudy – but we need to it be as clear as possible so that we can keep the country prepared and safe,” Schumer concluded.
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.
Schumer has been a longtime supporter of the National Mesonet Program, and specifically of the NYS Mesonet. Last year, Schumer delivered $1.35 million in federal funding to UAlbany to expand the Empire State VERTEX (Vertical Sensing Evaluation Regional Testbed Experiment) project, which is leveraging data from two state-of-the-art remote sensing instruments at 17 advanced Mesonet sites across the state to better understand the lower parts of the atmosphere. These state-of-the-art tools help scientists and forecasters understand instability within the atmosphere every five minutes, and with the help of $900,000 Schumer secured in 2022, UAlbany has become a testbed for exploring how to best use this technology to improve weather forecasting, better track wild-fire smoke and help renewable energy forecasting.
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