H.R. 5089

Weather Act Reauthorization Act of 2025

Sponsor: Frank D. Lucas

26 cosponsors
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Official summary

Written by the Congressional Research Service.

Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Reauthorization Act of 2025 or the Weather Act Reauthorization Act of 2025

This bill reauthorizes, revises, and establishes several programs related to weather forecasting, monitoring, and research. 

For example, the bill reauthorizes through FY2030 programs that are administered by the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), including the U.S. Weather Research Program. It also provides statutory authority for NOAA's Verification of the Origins of Rotation in Tornadoes Experiment (known as VORTEX-USA).

The bill also requires NOAA to establish programs that support weather forecasting technology, including improvements to radar accuracy, weather forecasting in underserved areas, and coastal flooding forecasting. NOAA must also acquire weather-related data from the private sector and establish a pilot program to test the compatibility of this data with NOAA infrastructure. 

In addition, NOAA must improve weather-related communication systems, including those related to hazardous weather events, through system upgrades that use more modern technology (e.g., cloud-based services) and that allow for expanded coverage (e.g., in rural areas).

Finally, NOAA must administer programs that support weather forecasting for agricultural and water management, including pilot programs to improve precipitation forecasts in the western and central states and a soil moisture monitoring network. 

Text of the bill

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I Reauthorization of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017

Sec. 114. Consolidation of reports

(a) Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017

(1) In general. The Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 is amended—

(A) in section 102 (15 U.S.C. 8512), by striking subsection (d);

(B) by amending section 105 (15 U.S.C. 8515) to read as follows:

Text this section adds to the law

105. Weather research and development planning. Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this section and not less frequently than semiannually thereafter, the Under Secretary, acting through the Assistant Administrator for Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, and in coordination with the Director of the National Weather Service and the Assistant Administrator for Satellite and Information Services, shall issue a research and development and research to operations plan to maintain United States leadership in numerical weather prediction and forecasting that—

(1) describes the forecasting skill and technology goals, objectives, expected budget, and progress of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in carrying out the program conducted under section 102;

(2) identifies and prioritizes specific research and development activities, data collection and analysis, predictive modeling, demonstration of potential operational forecast application, education, training, and performance metrics, weighted to meet the operational weather and flood-event mission of the National Weather Service to achieve a weather-ready Nation;

(3) describes how the program conducted under section 102 will collaborate with Federal agencies and departments, international partners, and stakeholders, including the United States weather industry and academic partners, and the role of each in advancing weather forecasting and communication;

(4) identifies, through consultation with the National Science Foundation, the United States weather industry, and academic partners, research necessary to advance the scientific understanding of weather processes and provide information to improve weather warning and forecast systems in the United States most effectively; and

(5) describes how the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is advancing community weather modeling.

(C) in section 403 (15 U.S.C. 8543)—

(i) in subsection (a), by inserting the after Director of; and

(ii) by amending subsection (d) to read as follows:

Text this section adds to the law

(d) Annual briefing. Not less frequently than once each year, the Under Secretary shall brief the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives on participation in the program under subsection (a) and shall highlight any innovations that come from the interaction described in subsection (b).

; and

(D) by striking sections 408 through 411 and section 414 and redesignating sections 412 and 413 as sections 408 and 409, respectively.

(2) Clerical amendments. The table of contents in section 1(b) of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 is amended by striking the items relating to sections 408 through 414 and inserting the following new items:

Text this section adds to the law

Sec. 408. Weather enterprise outreach. Sec. 409. Hurricane hunter aircraft.

(b) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Authorization Act of 1992. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Authorization Act of 1992 (Public Law 102–567) is amended—

(1) in section 106, by striking subsection (c) (15 U.S.C. 1537); and

(2) in section 108 (15 U.S.C. 8520)—

(A) by striking subsection (b); and

(B) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (b).

II Enhancing Federal Weather Forecasting and Innovation

III Commercial Weather and Environmental Observations

IV Communicating Weather to the Public

V Improving Weather Information for Agriculture and Water Management