H.R. 5089 — Weather Act Reauthorization Act of 2025

This section directs the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere to ensure the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) remains focused on providing accurate and timely weather forecasts that protect lives and property and enhance the national economy by disseminating critical weather information and impact-based decision support services to the public and core partners through nimble, flexible, and mobile methods.

This section revises the authorization of appropriations to NOAA's Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research to carry out weather research and forecasting programs under the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8519 et seq.), striking prior authorizations of $136,516,000 for FY2019 through $154,154,000 for FY2023 and authorizing the following totals: (1) $163,794,000 for FY2026; (2) $165,432,000 for FY2027; (3) $167,086,000 for FY2028; (4) $168,757,000 for FY2029; and (5) $170,444,000 for FY2030. The new authorizations allocate funds across four categories each year—weather laboratories and cooperative institutes ($91,058,000-$94,755,000, from $85,758,000-$91,758,000 previously); the United States Weather Research Program (i.e., multi-agency effort to improve weather prediction models and observations; $39,491,000-$41,094,000); tornado, severe storm, and next-generation radar research ($21,125,000-$21,983,000, newly specified); and the joint technology transfer initiative ($12,120,000-$12,612,000, from $20,000,000). (Thus, aggregate funding for research categories increases to approximately $60.6-$63.1 million annually from $30,758,000-$42,396,000 previously for weather and air chemistry research programs.)

This section revises the tornado warning improvement and extension program (renaming it the Verification of the Origins of Rotation in Tornadoes Experiment (VORTEX)) to require the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, in collaboration with the weather industry and academic partners, to maintain a program for rapidly improving tornado forecasts, predictions, warnings, and forecaster training in radar interpretation and new data sources. The revised program aims to reduce tornado-related loss of life and property by (1) improving the effectiveness and timeliness of forecasts, predictions, and warnings; (2) optimizing lead time with actionable information beyond one hour in advance; and (3) transitioning from warn-on-detection to warn-on-forecast. It further requires the Under Secretary to (1) periodically examine, test, and evaluate innovative observations such as novel sensors, observation networks, crewed or uncrewed systems, and hosted instruments on commercial aircraft, vessels, and satellites; (2) award grants for research to implement goals from NOAA's 2019 Tornado Warning Improvement and Extension Program Plan, advance social and behavioral sciences on vulnerabilities and risk communication (in coordination with the National Science and Technology Council's Social and Behavioral Sciences Subcommittee), and improve physical sciences, modeling, and tools related to tornado formation, impacts, and tornado-hurricane interactions; (3) in coordination with the program under section 406, develop and operationally transition probabilistic tornado forecast guidance, incorporate social sciences into modeling and forecasting, enhance workforce training on radar interpretation and warning systems, and expand computational resources for higher-resolution warn-on-forecast modeling; and (4) evaluate the tornado severity rating system, determine if updates are needed, and update it if necessary. Finally, this section requires annual budget submissions to Congress for the program and makes a clerical amendment to the table of contents of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017.

This section revises the Hurricane Forecast Improvement Program by upgrading it from a project to a program that improves hurricane forecasting, predictions, and warnings to reduce loss of life or property (from loss of life, injury, and economic damage); expanding the focus areas to include understanding rapid intensity change and path prediction with probabilistic methods, impact-based communication of inland and compound flooding alongside storm surges (in coordination with a new program under section 205 of the Weather Act Reauthorization Act of 2025), social and behavioral sciences for response decisions (e.g., evacuation), and innovative observations (e.g., novel sensors, uncrewed systems, hosted instruments); eliminating the prior requirement for a project plan; and adding new requirements to (1) award grants for research implementing NOAA's 2019 Hurricane Forecast Improvement Program report, advancing social and behavioral sciences in coordination with the National Science and Technology Council, and improving physical sciences and modeling of hurricane hazards and tornado interactions; (2) develop and operationally transition probabilistic forecast guidance for hurricanes (in coordination with the program under section 406), incorporate social sciences into modeling, and expand computational resources for higher-resolution modeling; and (3) submit an annual proposed budget to Congress.

This section amends the Tsunami Warning and Education Act, including inserting "Research," after "Warning," in the title heading (i.e., to "Tsunami Warning, Research, and Education Act"). It revises the purposes of the Act (33 U.S.C. 3202) by inserting "timeliness and" before "accuracy" in paragraph (2) and adding paragraph (9) to ensure data and metadata are managed, archived, and made available for operations, research, education, and mitigation activities in accordance with section 305 of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017. The section further amends the tsunami forecasting and warning program (33 U.S.C. 3203) as follows: (1) in subsection (b), requires maintenance of detection assets in operational condition using industry and scientific best practices; adds the global navigation satellite system (GNSS) network to detection assets; requires data quality and management systems, including support for data access, archiving, and requirements under the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 and chapter 31 of title 44, U.S. Code; expands the interagency cooperative effort with USGS, NASA, and NSF to include real-time GNSS data support, assessment of agency data for NOAA warnings, incorporation of tsunami notifications into the USGS Earthquake Early Warning System, and use of National Earthquake Information Center data on earthquake source and magnitude within five minutes of detection; requires graphical warning products and decision support aides for tsunami-prone areas; and adds a requirement to update tsunami inundation maps, models, or other geographic products to support mitigation and recovery; (2) revises subsection (c) to apply to areas in the Pacific, Arctic, and Atlantic Oceans, including the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico, determined to pose significant tsunami risks to states and U.S. territories (previously limited); (3) adds new subsection (d) directing the NOAA Administrator, in collaboration with social scientists, emergency personnel, and high-risk communities, to evaluate tsunami alert level terminology, timing, and effectiveness, assess community responses, and update the system if necessary; and (4) in redesignated subsection (e), expands warning center responsibilities to include Alaska, the continental U.S., Hawaii, U.S. territories, and certain international entities; adds volcanic eruptions and other sources to tsunami generation risks; incorporates coastal observing systems and monitoring needs; and substitutes the U.S. and global ocean and coastal observing system for the prior Integrated Ocean Observing System reference.

This section revises the observing system planning duties of the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere (i.e., NOAA) by— (1) requiring identification of data gaps in Federal observing capabilities (previously, all observing capabilities); (2) requiring options to address such gaps to include private sector partnerships or commercial acquisition; (3) requiring comparison of costs and schedules, including cost-benefit analysis, of Federal and private sector supplemental options to fill observation data requirements and gaps; and (4) requiring submission to Congress, not later than one year after enactment, of a report analyzing the technical, schedule, cost, and cost-benefit aspects of placing an operational polar-orbiting environmental satellite capability in the early morning orbit to support the weather enterprise and NOAA's mission.

This section revises requirements for Observing System Simulation Experiments (OSSEs)—quantitative assessments by NOAA's Assistant Administrator for Oceanic and Atmospheric Research of proposed observing systems' value for weather prediction and forecasting, including extreme events—by (1) requiring assessments of government systems' capabilities and costs in comparison to current or experimental commercial system capabilities that provide data necessary to protect life and property; (2) eliminating examples of polar-orbiting and geostationary satellite systems from those requiring pre-acquisition OSSEs with lifecycle costs exceeding $500 million; (3) striking the priority OSSE requirement for Global Navigation Satellite System Radio Occultation data; and (4) redesignating the subsection on reporting OSSE results as subsection (d).

This section revises sec. 108 of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8518) by striking specified subsections and inserting new subsections (b) through (f) as follows: (1) directs the NOAA Under Secretary, in collaboration with the Secretary of Energy, to carry out a competitive, merit-reviewed computing research initiative—leveraging Department of Energy high-performance computers, cloud computing, or expertise—to run advanced coupled models for proof-of-concept scenarios, coordinate research in artificial intelligence (AI), high-performance computing, machine learning, and related areas across NOAA, compare forecast outputs, share innovations through the Earth Prediction Innovation Center (per 15 U.S.C. 8512a), provide data archiving, use agile frameworks, and support workforce development, with the authority terminating five years after enactment; (2) requires leveraging AI and machine learning to enhance NOAA's high-performance and cloud computing infrastructure; (3) authorizes expanding or establishing centers of excellence to promote AI- and machine learning-enabled advanced computing through public-private partnerships, tool development, mission applications, and quantum computing exploration; (4) permits multi-year contracts for computing infrastructure per 41 U.S.C. §3903; and (5) requires a report to specified House and Senate committees within two years of enactment evaluating the initiative's effectiveness, the value of high-resolution probabilistic forecasts, interagency computing needs, and implementation timelines for advanced models and computing capabilities.

This section revises research and development elements of NOAA's program to improve forecasts of high-impact weather events (i.e., those endangering life and property) by striking one existing element in 15 U.S.C. 8512(b)(5)(E), adjusting subparagraph (D), and inserting new subparagraphs (E) and (F). New subparagraph (E) requires developing publicly accessible community weather research modeling systems that run on non-secure public computers and networks, utilize cloud computing where cost-effective, ensure interoperability with new components and languages, enable open community testing and integration of model improvements, access near-real-time operational and commercial data subject to restrictions, and provide portable versions of the unified forecast system including applications for hurricanes, space weather, ocean, cryosphere, air quality, and coastal models. New subparagraph (F) requires establishing a NOAA Data Lake—maintained by NOAA, a commercial partner, or nonprofit—that consolidates publicly available, continuously updated numerical weather prediction data and metadata for the Earth Prediction Innovation Center's model testing, subject to redistribution restrictions, licensing, and laws.

This section amends Section 301 of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 by— (1) striking subsection (a)(1)—which required the NOAA Under Secretary to deploy Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate–1 and –2 (COSMIC-1 and COSMIC-2) microsatellite constellations in equatorial and polar orbits, integrate the data into national weather models with free and open access, and submit annual reports to Congress on progress—and redesignating paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) as paragraphs (1), (2), and (3), respectively; (2) replacing subsection (b) with requirements for the NOAA Under Secretary to (A) maintain a fleet of space-based observation platforms providing operations-focused environmental data to support NOAA's mission of protecting lives and property from extreme weather and natural phenomena; (B) implement recommendations from the NOAA Observing Systems Council for an appropriate mix of government, academic, commercial, and international partnerships, including broadened data acquisition through the Commercial Data Program under section 302 when cost-effective; (C) ensure such platforms prioritize mission-tailored products and services; and (D) maintain the National Centers for Environmental Information for long-term archiving and access to NOAA's global data and metadata; and (3) extending the date in subsection (f)(1) to 2030 (from 2023).

This section revises an additional data sources element of NOAA's high-impact weather research and forecasting program (under the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017) to specify stationary and mobile commercial observing systems—such as uncrewed aircraft and marine systems—to provide observations of the atmosphere, ocean, and other data, in cooperation with NOAA's Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (from ", including commercial observing systems"). (Thus, the program explicitly incorporates uncrewed systems, or UAS/drones, into weather observation efforts.)

This section revises the Interagency Committee for Advancing Weather Services (established under the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 to coordinate federal weather research and forecast innovation across agencies including NASA, FAA, NOAA, and NSF) by renaming it the Interagency Council for Advancing Meteorological Services and expanding its structure and responsibilities. Specifically, it (1) designates the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy and the NOAA Under Secretary as co-chairs (previously, only the Federal Coordinator for Meteorology served as co-chair), with the Under Secretary also serving as Federal Coordinator for Meteorology; (2) directs enhanced coordination with weather industry stakeholders, academic partners, state governments, and emergency managers, including mechanisms for non-federal participation; and (3) adds new functions in subsection (d) to prioritize meteorological research and service needs (e.g., observations, systems, communications, infrastructure), recommend efficiencies, leverage Earth system science research (including from the National Academies' 2018 report), expand private sector partnerships, share information, advise on collaborations and resources, enhance communication, and develop a diverse workforce. The section further (1) requires the Interagency Council, in coordination with the United States Group on Earth Observations, to maintain a meteorological data inventory and solicit private sector data sources annually for five years beginning on enactment (subsection (e)); (2) directs the Interagency Meteorological Coordination Office to provide administrative support (subsection (f)); (3) authorizes member agencies to provide reimbursable financial support to that office (subsection (g)); and (4) requires annual reports beginning one year after enactment identifying federal programs using meteorological data, private sector acquisitions, forecasting advancements, and acquisition barriers (subsection (h)). Finally, it deems all prior references to the committee to mean the council.

This section establishes a Ships of Opportunity pilot program as a new element of the National Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System (i.e., a national network of federal and non-federal assets for coastal, ocean, and Great Lakes observations, data management, product development, and research). The program requires the NOAA Administrator, in coordination with other federal agencies, to maintain pilot projects contracting with research or commercial ship operators for data collection via ocean and atmospheric observing instruments on vessels—including in the Arctic—to supplement the System and assess the costs, benefits, and viability of a global network; requires such data to meet standards under the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017; directs a report to Congress within five years of enactment, in consultation with the Secretary of Transportation, on network requirements; and sunsets the program on the earlier of September 30, 2030, or one year after report submission.

This section consolidates reporting requirements for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) by striking multiple provisions and establishing new planning and briefing mandates under the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Authorization Act of 1992. With respect to the 2017 act, the section (1) eliminates the reporting requirement in section 102(d) (15 U.S.C. 8512(d)); (2) replaces section 105 (15 U.S.C. 8515) with a requirement for the Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere, through the Assistant Administrator for Oceanic and Atmospheric Research and in coordination with other NOAA officials, to issue a research and development and research-to-operations plan not later than two years after enactment and semiannually thereafter to maintain U.S. leadership in numerical weather prediction and forecasting (covering goals, priorities, collaborations, and community modeling for the weather research program under section 102); (3) revises section 403(d) (15 U.S.C. 8543(d)) to require an annual briefing (from less frequent) to congressional committees on NOAA's weather enterprise engagement program; and (4) strikes sections 408 through 411 and 414, redesignating sections 412 and 413 as 408 and 409. With respect to the 1992 act (P.L. 102-567), the section (1) terminates the biennial assessment of NOAA's environmental data and information systems adequacy—required since 1993 under section 106(c) (15 U.S.C. 1537)—and the associated biennial modernization plan to Congress; and (2) in section 108 (15 U.S.C. 8520), strikes subsection (b) and redesignates subsection (c) as (b).

This section amends the NOAA Precipitation Frequency Atlas of the United States program—established under the Flood Level Observation, Operations, and Decision Support Act to compile, estimate, analyze, and communicate precipitation frequency data (i.e., serving as the federal government's official source on heavy precipitation distribution, seasonality, and trends, with updates at least every 10 years)—by (1) adding definitions of "atmospheric river" (i.e., a transient corridor of strong water vapor producing significant rain or snow that may benefit water supply or cause flooding), "atmospheric river flooding event" (i.e., such an event resulting in flooding or hazards deemed of particular concern by the Secretary of Commerce), and "extreme precipitation event" (i.e., precipitation exceeding the 5-year annual recurrence interval for a location); and (2) revising coverage requirements to explicitly include precipitation resulting from hurricanes, atmospheric river flooding events, and extreme precipitation events.

This section amends the definitions section of the National Landslide Preparedness Act by adding terms for "atmospheric river," "atmospheric river flooding event," and "extreme precipitation event" (cross-referencing the NOAA Precipitation Frequency Atlas of the United States, 15 U.S.C. 9707(a)); "institution of higher education"; "Native Hawaiian organization"; and "Tribal organization." (As background, the Act establishes a USGS-led National Landslide Hazards Reduction Program to coordinate federal efforts to reduce losses from landslides, which cause over $3 billion in annual U.S. damages and hundreds of fatalities.) The section further revises the program's establishment language to "contribute to protecting" life and property (from "protect"); changes a program activity from "implement" to "disseminate" susceptibility maps and risk assessments; and requires the first updated national strategy—in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce—to assess risks to life and property from atmospheric river flooding events and extreme precipitation events. It also (1) directs the national landslide hazards database to identify areas needing additional risk assessments due to hydrology changes (e.g., erosion or drought), atmospheric river flooding events and extreme precipitation events, geologic activity (e.g., earthquakes or tsunamis), or data-poor regions; and (2) expands landslide hazard and risk preparedness grants and technical assistance to include Tribal organizations and Native Hawaiian organizations alongside state, local, and Tribal governments, with new emphases on health and safety and reducing losses from atmospheric rivers and other extreme precipitation events; and (3) broadens debris flow early warning system development to such entities. (Thus, the amendments integrate NOAA precipitation data into landslide risk analysis and increase stakeholder inclusion for communities vulnerable to precipitation-triggered landslides.)

This section amends the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of 1998 (HABHRCA), which coordinates federal research, monitoring, and control efforts for harmful algal blooms (HABs)—toxic algae growths that contaminate water and shellfish, cause fish kills, and impair recreation and drinking water—and hypoxia (low-oxygen "dead zones" harming aquatic life). Specifically, the section (1) adds the Department of Energy to HABHRCA's interagency task force in Section 603(a); (2) expands the hypoxia scientific assessment in Section 603(b) to marine, estuarine, and freshwater systems (from coastal waters including the Great Lakes), with revised contents to examine other environmental stressors, mitigation alternatives, socio-cultural costs, and expanded modeling, forecasting, and monitoring data; (3) requires the task force under new Section 603(c) to submit to Congress, at least every five years, an action strategy and scientific assessment on both marine and freshwater HABs (including Great Lakes, lakes, rivers, and those migrating to coasts), covering causes, consequences, stressors, prevention and mitigation methods and costs/benefits, research priorities to address data gaps, task force progress, coordination improvements, regional impacts, and impact assessment methodologies; (4) in Section 102, broadens required consultations beyond coastal zone experts to relevant non-federal entities (e.g., states, tribes, local governments); and (5) in Section 603A, revises the national HAB and hypoxia program to emphasize HAB monitoring, observing, and forecasting (in addition to prediction); reference the new action strategy and hypoxia assessment; extend surveillance to marine, estuarine, and freshwater systems (from ocean and Great Lakes); recognize agencies' independent missions and authorities; remove a prior funding exception; and prioritize research collaboration with affected communities (e.g., island, low-population rural, Indigenous, subsistence communities, fisheries, and recreation industries).

This section directs the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere to establish, not later than 180 days after enactment, a Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation Program to ensure continued performance of weather radar capabilities (i.e., National Weather Service radars) amid interferences such as wind turbines, buildings, or other structures that cause beam blockage or ghost echoes. In implementing the program, in consultation with the Interagency Council for Advancing Meteorological Services, the Under Secretary must (1) partner with private sector, academia, and government entities; (2) identify, evaluate, and test existing or near-commercial technologies to improve radar coverage and mitigate interferences; (3) research additional solutions such as signal processing algorithms, short-term forecasting, dual polarization, and gap-filling radars; and (4) prioritize technologies including phased array radar systems, commercial radar data, private meteorological towers, wind farm boundary displays, and rain gauges. The Under Secretary must submit annual reports to Congress beginning two years after enactment—evaluating priority technologies and recommending further testing—plus a final recommendation at five years on continuing the program; the program terminates on the earlier of September 30, 2030, or one year after the final recommendation.

This section directs the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere to develop a plan to replace the National Weather Service's Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) system by September 30, 2040. (NEXRAD is a nationwide network of Doppler radars that detects precipitation, wind, and severe weather to support forecasts and warnings.) The plan must include (1) estimates of quantifiable improvements in radar performance, coverage, and accuracy; (2) development of a digital phased array radar test article to determine replacement specifications; (3) establishment of a weather surveillance radar testbed to evaluate commercial radars (including those filling data voids in topographically challenging areas); (4) consultation with meteorologists, emergency managers, and public safety officials; (5) prioritized initial deployment locations; and (6) expected locations for the replacement system, including sites more than 75 miles from existing NEXRAD stations. The section further authorizes the Under Secretary to contract with third-party entities ("Radar-as-a-Service") to fill low-level and wide-area radar data voids using diverse radars, data assimilation technologies, weather cameras (potentially in consultation with the Federal Aviation Administration), and participants from the testbed, National Mesonet Program, or Cooperative Research and Development Agreements. (Thus, ...) The Under Secretary must provide periodic updates on implementation to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

This section directs the Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere (i.e., NOAA), in coordination with the Director of the National Weather Service and the FEMA Administrator and in consultation with the weather industry and academic partners, to address data voids by carrying out activities including the following: (1) reviewing under-observed, underserved, or highly vulnerable areas (e.g., urban, offshore, and territorial regions) and associated challenges; (2) increasing weather observations and developing new capabilities such as urban heat island mapping; (3) establishing or supporting testbeds for new observation or information-sharing tools such as next-generation radars; (4) advancing weather, water, forecasting, and climate modeling; (5) undertaking workforce development for emergency management officials and meteorologists; (6) using data void filling observations to resolve extreme rainfall in complex topography; and (7) contributing to a national integrated heat health information system. The section further requires the Under Secretary, acting through the NWS Director and FEMA Administrator, to establish an interagency partnership for pilot projects accelerating coordination and use of localized weather, water, and climate data and impact-based communications in infrastructure and emergency management decisions. At least one pilot project must address using mesonet data (i.e., regional mesoscale weather networks) in local decision making and developing tools and training for owners and operators of critical infrastructure (as defined in 42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)), such as dams, energy generation and distribution facilities, nuclear power plants, and transportation networks.

This section establishes an atmospheric river forecast improvement program (in this section referred to as the "program") to be carried out by the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere (i.e., NOAA administrator), in collaboration with the U.S. weather industry and academic partners. The program's goal is to reduce loss of life and property from atmospheric rivers (i.e., narrow corridors of concentrated atmospheric water vapor that produce heavy precipitation, flooding, and landslides, especially on the U.S. West Coast) through (1) quantitative forecast skill metrics incorporating dynamical modeling, data assimilation, and machine learning; (2) development of an atmospheric river forecast system within the unified forecast system for seasonal to short-range predictions, including snow accumulation and hydrologic components; (3) advancing scientific understanding of atmospheric rivers' roles in subseasonal to seasonal precipitation; (4) tools and forecast products addressing stakeholder needs for active or inactive atmospheric river periods over the western United States; and (5) research transition to operations via NOAA testbeds. The Under Secretary must periodically evaluate innovative observations (e.g., novel sensors, soil moisture systems, uncrewed systems, commercial aircraft data) for improving forecasts; submit a program plan within 180 days of enactment detailing research, development, data acquisition, technology transfer, resources, limitations, and timelines; and submit annual proposed budgets to Congress thereafter.

This section establishes a coastal flooding and storm surge forecast improvement program to be carried out by the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere (i.e., NOAA), in collaboration with the Integrated Ocean Observing System, the weather industry, and academic partners. The program's goal is to reduce loss of life and property damage from coastal flooding—including high tide flooding—and storm surge through improved forecasts and warnings. In implementing the program, the Under Secretary must prioritize (1) enhancing real-time operational prediction of ocean influences on such events; (2) improving coastal communities' ability to perceive, comprehend, and respond to forecasts; (3) incorporating in situ sensor data into models; (4) developing probabilistic estimates for long-term planning and risk management; (5) establishing skill metrics for inundation forecasting; and (6) improving regional storm surge and wave models. The section further directs periodic evaluation of innovative observations and modeling techniques (e.g., machine learning, novel sensors, uncrewed systems); development of a detailed program plan within 180 days of enactment; and annual submission to Congress of proposed budgets aligned with the plan.

This section establishes an airborne observation program under NOAA for acquiring atmospheric sensor data—including procurement of weather data from commercial aircraft, additional vertical profile observations, and analysis for improved aircraft forecasts in NOAA's unified forecast system—authorizing up to $10 million annually for FY2026 through 2030 from funds available to NOAA's Commercial Data Program; requires the Under Secretary to submit an annual proposed budget to Congress; directs the National Weather Service Director to include turbulence events, icing conditions, and other phenomena in Aviation Weather Center forecasts with consistent, timely, and accurate information; requires coordination considering Federal Aviation Administration recommendations under 49 U.S.C. 44720 by, among other actions, (1) forming an interagency working group on aviation weather data needs, (2) identifying turbulence data gaps for flight planning fillable by commercial tools, (3) transitioning research pilots (e.g., commercial aircraft instrumentation for greenhouse gases) to operations, (4) developing probabilistic forecast technology, and (5) updating interagency agreements; amends the Next Generation Weather Research Initiative (i.e., NOAA program to improve forecasts of high-impact weather events endangering life and property) to add aviation weather phenomena—including atmospheric composition and turbulence to enhance airspace system understanding and forecasts—as a new program element under 15 U.S.C. 8512(b)(3)(F) and to redesignate former subparagraphs (F) and (G) as (G) and (H); and requires the Under Secretary to ensure maximum timely dissemination of full-resolution aviation weather data, forecasts, and information.

This section establishes a joint venture partnership transition program for the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) of NOAA. It directs the NESDIS Assistant Administrator, in consultation with the NASA Administrator, to (1) administer annual or more frequent broad agency announcements and other contracting mechanisms to prioritize engagement with the private sector, academia, and other federal agencies; (2) maintain a program transitioning selected research and study awards into demonstrations—and potentially operations—for next-generation technologies, missions, data systems, spacecraft, and instrument designs that improve NOAA satellite architecture, implement recommendations from NOAA's 2018 Satellite Observing System Architecture Study ("Building a Plan for NOAA’s 21st Century Satellite Observing System"), and meet mission requirements; and (3) submit annual progress plans to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. It authorizes $20 million for FY2026 through 2030.

This section directs the Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere, acting through the Director of the National Weather Service, to develop and implement a strategy transitioning the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS)—the primary workstation system used by National Weather Service meteorologists to integrate observational data, generate forecasts, and issue warnings—to an operational cloud-based environment by September 30, 2030, in order to support a nimble, flexible, and mobile workforce. The cloud-based AWIPS must provide impact-based decision support services to Federal, state, local, and Tribal emergency managers and continue delivering services integrating forecast data (e.g., meteorological, hydrological); acquiring observational data; enabling interactive communications among National Weather Service offices; and rapidly disseminating warnings and forecasts for weather, water, marine, ecological, climate, aviation, and space hazards. The strategy may include elements such as testbeds and pilot projects; coordinated training; bandwidth evaluations; network redundancy; a cloud-based data repository; virtualized systems; assessments of commercial cloud providers; and development of forecast products. The Under Secretary must provide periodic updates to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and this section does not prohibit ongoing innovation in forecast capabilities or modeling.

This section authorizes the Under Secretary to support reanalysis and reforecasting activities within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), including through NOAA's hazardous weather testbed, for improving weather forecasts, extreme weather predictions, and weather and climate datasets.

This section directs the Director of the National Weather Service (NWS) to (1) annually submit to the Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere and Congress an assessment of hiring and onboarding milestones, timelines, service level expectations, potential outsourcing recommendations, and required staffing levels at each forecasting office; (2) contract or partner externally to assess rotating shift work's medical impacts (including stress and long-term health effects) on NWS employees, with mitigation options and benefit improvement recommendations; and (3) designate at least one service hydrologist at each Weather Forecast Office to enhance impact-based decision support services for hydrology—such as flood warnings, inundation mapping, drought outlooks, water supply forecasts, and forecast-informed reservoir operations—through user liaison, interagency collaboration, partner list maintenance, and emergency coordination, without increasing authorized full-time equivalent employees or requiring additional hires (with responsibilities assignable to other staff).

This section replaces the prior requirement for a one-time commercial weather data procurement strategy with a Commercial Data Program, to be maintained by the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere (NOAA administrator) in coordination with relevant NOAA offices. The program requires acquisition of satellite-, ground-, airborne-, marine-, in situ, remote sensing, or crowd-sourced commercial weather and environmental data and services for operational forecasting and modeling; coordinates across specified NOAA observing programs (e.g., National Mesonet Program, Aircraft Based Observation Program, and National Data Buoy Center); and prioritizes data from NOAA's Commercial Data Pilot Program or similar efforts. The section further directs NOAA to (1) publish data standards and specifications within 180 days of enactment and ongoing thereafter; (2) maintain the NOAA Observing Systems Council and Fleet Council, including an internal committee, to guide observing system priorities and data management; (3) authorize $100 million annually for FY2026 through FY2030; (4) allow agreements for purchasing such data/services or hosting instruments on commercial/government platforms; (5) designate an ombudsman as a liaison for commercial providers; and (6) submit a report to specified congressional committees within two years of enactment evaluating NOAA data governance practices. (As background, commercial data supplements NOAA's government-owned observing systems to improve weather forecasting accuracy, coverage, and cost-effectiveness for public safety, aviation, agriculture, and other sectors.)

This section strikes the prior directive for the NOAA Under Secretary to avoid unnecessary duplication between public and private weather data sources and establishes a Commercial Data Pilot Program within NOAA's Commercial Data Program (under section 302 of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017). (As background, the Commercial Data Program authorizes NOAA to acquire private-sector weather observations, data, and products to supplement federal capabilities and improve forecasting accuracy, coverage, and timeliness.) The pilot requires NOAA to (1) engage private providers to test and develop standards for quality, licensing, attribution, and compatibility of observation services and data (including surface-, airborne-, space-, coastal-, and ocean-based sources) with NOAA models and forecasts; (2) enter pilot contracts through open competition with qualified providers; and (3) annually assess and report to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology on contract performance, assimilation viability into NOAA operations, value added, data quality metrics, cost-effectiveness, and one-year integration steps. If assessments confirm standards compliance, NOAA must prioritize cost-effective private data acquisition; for future satellite systems, evaluate commercial alternatives before critical design and assess national interest in government development; and report determinations to the committees. Not less than 15% of section 302 funds are authorized annually for the pilot.

This section establishes contracting authorities and duplication-avoidance requirements for the Under Secretary of Commerce (for NOAA) in acquiring weather and environmental observations and data under the Commercial Data Program (sec. 302 of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017) and related provisions (sec. 303). Specifically, it (1) authorizes multiyear contracts and innovative agreements with private sector entities, (2) directs use of year-long or multiyear options for data resiliency and partnerships with multiple providers to mitigate data gaps, (3) requires coordination with NOAA, NASA, other federal agencies, and private entities to avoid unnecessary duplication of activities, expenditures, and personnel, and (4) mandates that other agencies fairly compensate NOAA or data providers for shared use. It includes a savings clause preserving title 10 acquisition authorities.

This section establishes requirements for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) data assimilation, management, and sharing practices, including (1) consistent data and metadata standards developed with the weather enterprise; (2) consolidated data infrastructure using commercial cloud technologies or hybrids, federal partnerships (e.g., NASA, DOE, USSF), and long-term archiving of Commercial Data Program (sec. 302) materials at the National Centers for Environmental Information; (3) sharing of non-restricted commercial and international data—or model/forecast outputs—with the U.S. weather enterprise; and (4) a data assimilation program to test and implement methods (e.g., AI, machine learning), including a consortium of institutions of higher education to conduct research, expand the workforce, and facilitate research-to-operations transitions in coordination with the Joint Center for Satellite Data Assimilation, all consistent with specified data security law (42 U.S.C. 19231 et seq.). This section further requires NOAA, not later than 90 days after enactment, to commission a non-Federal study assessing data management costs/benefits, infrastructure needs, and sharing practices.

This section makes a clerical amendment to the table of contents of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 by striking the items relating to sections 302 and 303 and inserting new items for sections 302 ("Commercial Data Program"), 303 ("Commercial Data Pilot Program"), 304 ("Contracting authority and avoidance of duplication"), and 305 ("Data assimilation, management, and sharing practices").

This section establishes definitions for terms used in this title, including “hazardous weather or water events” and “watch” and “warning” (as defined in section 406 of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017, as amended by section 402 of this Act); “institution of higher education” (as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965); “NOAA Weather Radio” (i.e., the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Weather Radio All Hazards network); and “public cloud” (i.e., an on-demand information technology model providing computing services over the public internet).

This section revises Section 406 of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (Public Law 115-25) to address hazardous weather or water event risk communication. It defines "hazardous weather or water events" (e.g., severe storms such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and flash floods; winter storms; and other hazards such as extreme heat, wildfire, drought, and flooding), "institution of higher education" (as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, 20 U.S.C. 1001), and "watch" and "warning" (public NOAA products alerting to potential or ongoing events, excluding technical forecasts). The NOAA Under Secretary must maintain and improve the public risk communication system, including through a social, behavioral, risk, communication, and economic sciences program that (1) identifies, eliminates, or modifies confusing terminology; (2) improves communication form, content, and methods; (3) develops metrics to evaluate effectiveness in informing protective responses; (4) creates and updates a support plan informed by research; (5) implements validated, science-based recommendations accounting for demographics, regions, event types, partners, and infrastructure needs; (6) coordinates with federal, state, local, Tribal, academic, and media partners; and (7) ensures timely, consistent public communications. The section also updates the Act's table of contents.

This section directs the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere to maintain a hazard communication research and engagement program to modernize development and communication of risk-based probabilistic hazard information for hazardous weather or water events and to improve related social, behavioral, economic, risk, and communication sciences, including through voluntary data collection. The program requires coordination with states, Tribal governments, localities, and emergency managers; a pilot program for tornado hazard communication, developed in coordination with the VORTEX program (under sec. 103) and in collaboration with eligible institutions (i.e., institutions of higher education, nonprofits, or others in Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research jurisdictions under 42 U.S.C. 1862g or near National Weather Service Weather Forecast Offices); and a pilot study for hurricane hazard communication, conducted via agreement with an appropriate entity using surveys, focus groups, and interviews in hurricane-prone areas to evaluate disaster supplies, evacuation decisions, trust in information sources, language access, and evacuation barriers (with methodology publicly available on NOAA's website). As part of this program, the section further requires research and development on public reception, interpretation, response to, and valuation of hurricane forecasts and warnings, including (1) a comprehensive review of relevant factors (e.g., past experiences, demographic variations including for elderly and disabled populations, language barriers, urban-rural differences); (2) identification of communication data gaps; (3) evaluation of economic value from extended lead times for warnings, coordinated with the hurricane forecast improvement program (under sec. 104); (4) post-storm assessments of forecast value via surveys under the Weather Act Reauthorization Act of 2025; (5) cost-benefit analyses of forecast improvements; and (6) pre-, during-, and post-storm risk assessments for affected regions and communities.

This section directs the Director of the National Weather Service to implement, by October 1, 2027, a commercial off-the-shelf communications solution hosted on the public cloud to replace the NWSChat instant messaging service used by NWS personnel. The solution must satisfy requirements set by the Director to accommodate future growth, perform with increased users, be easy to use for most users, and be similar to commercial systems. It authorizes the Director to allocate up to $3 million annually from Operations, Research, and Facilities funds for FY2026 through FY2030 to carry out this section.

This section directs the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and the Atmosphere (NOAA) to expand NOAA Weather Radio coverage and ensure its reliability to the maximum extent practicable, including by (1) maintaining support for existing systems in areas with poor cellular service; (2) providing consistent maintenance, operations monitoring, and timely repairs to transmitter equipment and antennas; (3) enhancing amplification of Non-Weather Emergency Messages; and (4) acquiring additional transmitters for rural and underserved communities, units of the National Park System, and National Recreation Areas. (NOAA Weather Radio is the National Weather Service's nationwide network of radio stations broadcasting continuous weather forecasts, warnings, and emergency information, particularly vital in remote areas lacking other communications.) The section further directs NOAA, to the maximum extent practicable, to modernize NOAA Weather Radio by (1) upgrading telecommunications infrastructure to internet protocol-based communications over non-copper media; (2) accelerating software upgrades to the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (or successors) for partial county notifications and alerts; (3) consulting stakeholders, including the private sector, to enhance data accessibility and usability; (4) developing continuity options such as satellite backups and commercial partnerships during Weather Forecast Office outages; (5) researching alternatives like microwave transmission for remote transmitters; and (6) transitioning critical applications to the Integrated Dissemination Program (or successors). In prioritizing these modernization efforts, NOAA must maximize accessibility in remote and underserved areas based on recommendations from an assessment completed not later than one year after enactment of this Act. That assessment must address continuous real-time broadcasts in urban and rural areas; stakeholder inputs on third-party platform compatibility; management systems for efficient access; central aggregation of feeds; interagency coordination; effects of electromagnetic pulses or geomagnetic disturbances; and other relevant factors.

This section directs the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere to continue conducting one or more post-storm surveys and assessments following every hazardous weather or water event determined by the Under Secretary to be of sufficient societal importance. It requires coordination with federal, state, local, and Tribal governments, private entities, and institutions of higher education to optimize data collection, sharing, integration, archiving, and access; public availability of appropriate data as soon as practicable; and improvements to such surveys and assessments, including (1) examining the role of uncrewed aerial and marine systems in data collection, (2) identifying gaps and updating tactics and procedures for efficiency and reliability, (3) increasing community impact studies—particularly for under-observed, underserved, or highly vulnerable populations—covering individual responses, prior risk evaluation accuracy, prior mitigation efficacy, and survivability statistics, and (4) integrating community-based social, behavioral, risk, communication, and economic sciences elements (e.g., forecast and warning efficacy, barriers to action, messaging challenges). The section also requires training, resources, and professional counseling to support employee emotional and mental health and exempts information collection during these activities from subchapter I of chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code (Paperwork Reduction Act).

This section directs the Comptroller General of the United States to submit to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, not later than 540 days after enactment, a report examining the National Weather Service's information technology infrastructure for timely public notifications via alerts and updates regarding hazardous weather or water events. The report must include the following elements: (1) an analysis of the agency's information technology infrastructure, including software and hardware capabilities and limitations such as server and data storage methods, broadband, data management, and data sharing; (2) an identification of secondary and tertiary fail-safes for timely public distribution of such notifications; (3) a process analysis determining the sources and extent of delays in public notifications and possible improvements or corrective measures to address latency; (4) an assessment of whether collaboration with other federal offices, states, or private entities could reduce notification delays; (5) a description of actions to identify critical steps in public notifications vulnerable to communication, technologic, or computational failure; and (6) geographical differences in availability and effectiveness of rural systems, including an estimated number of rural areas affected by unreliable or unavailable accurate systems and barriers to obtaining or upgrading such systems.

This section directs the NOAA Under Secretary to (1) collect social, behavioral, and economic data on federal communications and public responses to hazardous weather or water events, prioritizing secondary, purchased, or private-sector data where appropriate; (2) establish a central repository within NOAA for such data, including data developed under this title; (3) ensure all data collection and management complies with legal, regulatory, and contractual obligations, chapter 31 of title 44, United States Code, and the Federal Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-435); (4) develop methods, such as digital watermarking, to prevent unauthorized tampering with online hazardous weather or water notifications; and (5) establish policies and procedures for collecting, archiving, and stewarding data on community responses, including those of affected or vulnerable populations, to such events.

This section amends Section 1762 of the Food Security Act of 1985 by (1) replacing subsection (h) to establish not fewer than two pilot projects within NOAA's U.S. Weather Research Program to improve subseasonal to seasonal precipitation forecasts for water management in the western United States and agriculture in the central United States, addressing specified science challenges (e.g., model resolution in mountainous terrain, soil moisture processes), implementing recommendations from the National Weather Service's 2020 subseasonal and seasonal forecasting report, engaging institutions of higher education and NOAA entities such as Regional Climate Centers, and terminating five years after enactment; and (2) replacing subsection (j) to authorize $50.3 million annually for FY2026 through FY2030 to carry out activities under the section. (As background, the section declares a congressional policy for federal provision of weather and climate information to support agriculture and silviculture and directs NOAA to develop related forecasts and an Internet clearinghouse.)

This section expands the functions of the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS)—a NOAA program that integrates precipitation, soil moisture, and other data to provide national and regional drought forecasts, impacts assessments, and early warnings to federal, state, tribal, local, and private entities—by (1) requiring incorporation of flash drought research and tools for timely response; (2) expanding ongoing drought research and monitoring to expressly include ecological drought; (3) directing advancement and deployment of next-generation technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cloud-based tools, along with utilization of observational networks (e.g., National Weather Service cooperative observer program, snowpack, and groundwater data); and (4) requiring, in partnership with the National Mesonet Program, memoranda of understanding for nationwide drought information including integrated soil moisture data. The section further requires NOAA, in partnership with NIDIS and the Climate Prediction Center, to transition existing drought products to probabilistic forecasts using improved dynamical and statistical models; authorizes partnerships with citizen scientists for monitoring; and authorizes appropriations from NOAA Operations, Research, and Facilities accounts of $15 million for FY2026, $15.5 million for FY2027, $16 million for FY2028, $16.5 million for FY2029, and $17 million for FY2030.

This section establishes the National Mesonet Program under the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere (i.e., NOAA) to obtain environmental observations across geographic environments, prioritize leveraging commercial, academic, and other non-Federal data, and establish memoranda of understanding with external networks. The program must (1) improve observations for NOAA and National Weather Service forecasts, nowcasts, and warnings; (2) leverage cost-effective existing networks, including supplemental radars; (3) annually integrate denser observations from local, regional, in situ, and satellite sources; (4) increase boundary-layer data for better numerical weather prediction; (5) provide infrastructure for new non-Federal networks; (6) expand roadway environmental observations; (7) identify air-sea interaction data gaps; (8) support 30-minute severe weather warnings via improved models; (9) coordinate with NOAA data sources (e.g., National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service); (10) identify research priorities; and (11) support the National Coordinated Soil Moisture Monitoring Network. The Under Secretary may award up to 15% of the program's annual appropriations as financial assistance to State, Tribal, private, and academic entities to build, expand, or upgrade mesonet systems—conditioned on data-sharing agreements, five-year maintenance commitments, and commensurate Federal support based on data quality—while providing technical assistance, prioritizing underrepresented or remote areas, and coordinating with other agencies. The section further requires an active advisory committee of subject matter experts to recommend data identification, implementation, procurement, and tracking to supplement the program.

This section establishes the National Coordinated Soil Moisture Monitoring Network within the National Integrated Drought Information System. The Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, in collaboration with the Secretary of Agriculture, the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey, the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and other relevant federal agencies, shall support the development, deployment, and maintenance of soil moisture monitoring networks through the Network, which must carry out the following activities: (1) establishing a visible, user-friendly website; (2) developing criteria for high-quality data sources; (3) supporting research to develop or improve national-scale soil moisture monitoring products; (4) increasing the number of long-term, high-quality in situ and remote sensing soil moisture monitoring stations across the United States; (5) sharing methodologies and validation protocols with the private sector; (6) engaging with the citizen science community; (7) developing, releasing, and promoting new nationwide point-based and gridded soil moisture data products; and (8) supporting community building and outreach among individuals involved in soil moisture information delivery.

This section revises the National Water Center within NOAA's National Weather Service (NWS), which serves as the research and operational center of excellence for hydrologic analyses, forecasting, and related decision support services, as follows: (1) designates it as a component of the NWS National Centers for Environmental Prediction and adds to its purpose providing service backup capabilities and additional mission support services for River Forecast Centers; (2) adds to its functions serving as the primary center for collaboration and coordination of NOAA's water research and operational activities with federal agencies including the Department of Agriculture, Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Geological Survey, and FEMA; and (3) eliminates the requirement to issue a national operations and services policy directive. This section also redesignates the total water prediction subsection and authorizes appropriations of $46 million for each of FY2026 through 2030 to carry out these provisions.

This section directs the Secretary of Commerce to submit to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, not later than 180 days after enactment, a report on the Department of Commerce's authorities, policies, and federal government-wide policies related to transferring any portion of Commerce-operated weather satellite systems to another federal department or agency. The report must include (1) a description of the process for decommissioning a Commerce operational weather satellite, any existing agreements related to transfers of weather satellites (decommissioned or not), and any reimbursable agreements related to transferring physical property or operating Commerce weather satellites on behalf of another federal department or agency; and (2) a summary of any Commerce plans for potential transfer of existing or future weather satellite systems to another federal department or agency.

This section establishes a Precipitation Forecast Improvement Program under Title VI of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 by inserting a new section 603 (redesignating existing section 603 as section 604). The NOAA Under Secretary must maintain the program, in collaboration with the weather industry, other federal agencies, and academic partners, to provide more accurate precipitation forecasts across timescales using a fully coupled Earth system prediction model, with the goal of reducing losses from precipitation extremes such as atmospheric rivers, tropical cyclones, thunderstorms, and winter storms. Goals and activities include (1) improving predictions and incorporating innovative observations; (2) enhancing Earth system models and research-to-operations transitions via testbeds; (3) integrating social, behavioral, economic, risk communication, and other sciences for actionable warnings; (4) following NOAA's Precipitation Prediction Grand Challenge Strategy; (5) developing probabilistic forecast technologies and expanding National Weather Service decision support; and (6) increasing computational resources, with data management for research and operations; the Under Secretary must submit an annual proposed budget to Congress.