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Report File
Date Issued
Submitting OIG
Department of Commerce OIG
Agencies Reviewed/Investigated
Department of Commerce
Report Number
OIG-25-007-A
Report Description

For our audit on National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) National Weather Service (NWS) hurricane forecast and warning performance, our audit objective was to assess NWS progress toward improving hurricane forecasts and warnings.
We found that NWS has made progress improving tropical cyclone track and intensity forecasts since the Weather Act became law in 2017. Notably, NWS also extended its tropical weather outlook product, which provides tropical cyclone formation forecasts, by two days (from 5 to 7 days), made advancements in hurricane modeling, developed new means for communicating storm surge, and has taken early steps to incorporate social and behavioral science into its risk communications. However, we also found: I. National Hurricane Center has not extended tropical cyclone warnings and excludes performance measures that could help it better focus improvements on high-impact storms; II. National Hurricane Center has not ensured optimal usage of hurricane hunter aircraft; and III. NOAA’s Hurricane Forecast Improvement Program is insufficient to meet the Weather Act’s hurricane forecast and warning goal.

Report Type
Audit
Agency Wide
Yes
Number of Recommendations
8
Questioned Costs
$0
Funds for Better Use
$0
Report updated under NDAA 5274
No

Department of Commerce OIG

United States