Local Weather Service Meteorologists Laid Off

Several employees at the National Weather Service’s Quad Cities office were among the hundreds of weather forecasters and other federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration employees on probationary status who were fired Thursday.  Federal workers who were not let go said the afternoon layoffs included meteorologists who do crucial local forecasts in National Weather Service offices across the country.  Cuts at NOAA appeared to be happening in two rounds, one of 500 and one of 800.  That’s about 10% of NOAA’s workforce.  The first round of cuts were probationary employees.