NOAA will discontinue ingesting, processing, and distributing all Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) data by June 30, 2025.
DMSP satellites provide unique, twice-daily, high-resolution global coverage essential for monitoring hurricane development and Arctic and Antarctic sea ice.
No other US satellite program can adequately replace DMSP data, risking a regression of hurricane forecasting capabilities by decades.
Scientists warn that losing DMSP data during an expected above-average hurricane season will degrade forecasts of storm intensity and rapid intensification, endangering lives.
The abrupt data halt appears intentional despite fully operational satellites, prompting criticism amid broader federal environmental and NOAA budget cuts.
NOAA and the Department of Defense characterize the change as routine data rotation that won’t affect forecast quality, but researchers strongly dispute this assessment.
Only Japan’s similar satellite data could serve as an alternative, but transitioning to it will take significant time and effort.
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