Trump’s Grudge Could Disrupt America’s Weather Predictions | PRIMENEWSNOW

One of the foremost institutions in climate, weather, and wildfire research is facing potential closure, perceived by many as a political move by former President Donald Trump against Colorado Governor Jared Polis.

News of NCAR’s potential breakup, with some functions possibly relocated, followed the abrupt cancellation of $109 million in federal grants for Colorado. This came shortly after Trump criticized Polis during an Oval Office event, calling him a “weak and pathetic man.” Russell Vought, head of the White House budget office, announced the center’s closure in a post on X, with no further comments provided.

The tension between Trump and Polis is linked to the imprisonment of Tina Peters, a former Colorado election official, for granting unauthorized access to voting machines post-2020 election. A White House insider told the Washington Post that the governor is unwilling to cooperate with the president.

NCAR scientists were stunned by the possibility of the center becoming a casualty in Trump’s political disputes.

“One theory is that this is designed to pressure the Governor of Colorado to allow the pardon Trump attempted to go through,” wrote NCAR scholar Kevin Trenberth in an email. “Closing NCAR would be a significant setback for the scientific community, with long-lasting impacts.”

The Importance of NCAR

Established in 1960 and managed by the National Science Foundation, NCAR offers cutting-edge data and technology to 129 North American universities. Its resources include supercomputers, advanced aircraft, and Earth-systems modeling. NCAR developed the Dropsonde, used by hurricane hunters to measure storm conditions, and provides real-time forecasts for military operations, such as those at Fort Greely, Alaska. Its computer models have also enhanced wildfire behavior predictions.

Climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe described NCAR as “our global mothership” in a post on X. “Researchers worldwide have benefited from its resources.”

Antonio Busalacchi, president of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), which manages NCAR, called it “an international treasure.” UCAR employs 1,450 people, with 830 at NCAR.

Busalacchi reported receiving no official word from Washington about the dismantling plan, aside from Vought’s announcement, which was linked to an exclusive USA Today story.

Beyond political motives, eliminating NCAR aligns with Vought’s goals of reducing government size and climate science influence. “This facility is a major source of climate alarmism,” Vought stated in his post on X, echoing the Project 2025 blueprint he co-authored.

Vought mentioned relocating critical weather work but provided no specifics. Daniel Swain, an extreme weather expert at the University of California and NCAR research partner, challenged the notion of separating climate and weather studies.

“Science increasingly shows no clear division between weather and climate,” Swain said in a YouTube livestream. “It’s the same atmosphere, just different timescales.”

Swain relies on NCAR for his computing needs at the University of California. “Hundreds, if not thousands, of scientists nationwide use NCAR resources daily for their research and visualizations,” he noted. “Centralizing these resources is efficient, avoiding the higher costs and complexities of distributed systems.”

Ironically, the NCAR community faced this news while Boulder was under an extreme wildfire risk warning, a situation NCAR’s research helps mitigate. Local utility Xcel Energy preemptively cut power in the area as a precaution.

“If Boulder avoids major fires, it may be partly due to accurate weather forecasts enabling utilities to take preventive measures,” Swain said.

NCAR received $123 million from the National Science Foundation last fiscal year, covering half its budget, according to Science magazine. Additional funding comes from the Pentagon, other federal agencies, states, and private sources. NCAR and UCAR are part of over 30 federally funded labs in Colorado, contributing $2.6 billion annually to the state’s economy, per the University of Colorado’s Leeds School of Business.

Governor Polis stated that Colorado has not been directly informed by the Trump administration about the NCAR plan or the cancellation of various transportation grants, as reported by the Colorado Sun. The cuts include a $66 million grant for a crucial rail-safety mechanism, $11.7 million to electrify Fort Collins’ vehicle fleet, and $11.7 million for Colorado State University Pueblo to explore powering rail vehicles with hydrogen and natural gas.

If true, Polis warned, “public safety is at risk, and science is under attack.”

“Climate change is real,” he emphasized. “NCAR’s work extends beyond climate science, providing data on severe weather events like fires and floods that save lives and property. Losing this resource would weaken our competitive edge in scientific discovery against global adversaries.”

In a post on X, Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.), representing Boulder, condemned the plan to dismantle NCAR as “a deeply dangerous & blatantly retaliatory action by the Trump administration.”

“NCAR is one of the world’s most renowned scientific facilities, where groundbreaking research occurs daily,” Neguse wrote. “We will oppose this reckless directive with every legal tool available.”