NOAA's Atlas 15 Rainfall Prediction Project Halted by Trump

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!

2024:

• NOAA Atlas 15 Pilot Release (Montana): On September 26, 2024, NOAA releases the NOAA Atlas 15 Pilot data for the state of Montana. This pilot aims to collect early feedback and demonstrate the nature of Atlas 15 data. It covers a subset of storm durations (1 hour to 10 days) and exceedance probabilities (50% to 1%) in two volumes and is intended for comparison and feedback, not formal peer review.
• Public Review Period for NOAA Atlas 15 Pilot (Montana) Closes: The public review period for the NOAA Atlas 15 Pilot over Montana is closed, with feedback informing the expansion of the Pilot.
• Ed Clark's Retirement: Ed Clark, former director of the National Water Center, retires at the end of April.

Spring 2025:

• Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick Orders Review: Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick orders a review of NOAA Atlas 15 Volume 2, which focuses on climate projections, indefinitely suspending work on this crucial component.

July 16, 2025:

• Washington Post Article Published: The Washington Post publishes an exclusive article detailing the suspension of work on NOAA Atlas 15 Volume 2 by the Trump administration.
• Recent Flood Events: In the first 15 days of July, the National Weather Service reports twice the usual number of flash floods, including a deluge in Central Texas (130+ fatalities) and heavy rains in the Northeast (2 fatalities in New Jersey, submerged NYC subway stations).

2025:

• Preliminary CONUS Estimates for NOAA Atlas 15: Preliminary estimates for NOAA Atlas 15, covering the contiguous U.S. (lower 48 states), are scheduled to be released for public peer review and feedback.
• NOAA Atlas 15 Volume 1 (historical observations) Data Public Release (on track): Preliminary data for Volume 1, based on historical observations, is still on track to be made public by the end of this year.

April 2025 (Publication Date):

• "Validating the IMERG remote sensing precipitation data for extremes analysis using the new hybrid depth duration frequency model" Study Published: This study, authored by Kenneth Okechukwu Ekpetere, is published in Remote Sensing Applications: Society and Environment, Volume 38.