FAA Facing Critical Shortage of Meteorologists

Report cites hiring freeze, early retirements, burnout, and low morale.

Zach Vasile

Thursday, September 04, 2025 at 07:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

A Delta Air Lines meteorology team provides weather forecasting. [Credit: Delta Air Lines]

Key Takeaways:

A federal watchdog (GAO) has raised concerns about a significant and ongoing shortage of National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologists at FAA air traffic control facilities, falling below target staffing levels.
This deficit is causing burnout, fatigue, and low morale among the remaining meteorologists, increasing the risk of errors that could compromise airline operations and flight safety.
While the FAA acknowledges the risks and agrees to address them, it plans to implement a new service delivery model by FY2026 that would further reduce the number of NWS meteorologists to 64, intending to leverage new technologies and streamline operations.

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A federal government watchdog agency is raising concerns about the steady drop in meteorologists at FAA air traffic control (ATC) facilities.

In a report released last week, the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) said that, as of June, there were 69 National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologists assigned to the FAA’s en route centers, below the target of 81 set by an agreement between the FAA and the NWS. The report’s authors linked the shortfall to a federal hiring freeze, budget cuts, and voluntary early retirement programs, as well as the worsening working conditions the remaining meteorologists face as their ranks are thinned.