Improving Atmospheric River Forecasts Act
Improving Atmospheric River Forecasts Act
Plain Language Summary
# Improving Atmospheric River Forecasts Act - Summary **What It Does:** This bill would require the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to create a new program focused on improving forecasts for atmospheric rivers—weather systems that can bring heavy rain and cause flooding. The program would invest in research and development to make forecasts more accurate and useful, with the goal of reducing deaths, injuries, and property damage from these storms. It would also establish measurements to track how well forecasts are working and develop new tools to predict when and where atmospheric rivers will hit. **Who It Affects:** This bill primarily affects people in regions vulnerable to atmospheric river storms (particularly California and the West Coast, where sponsor Senator Alex Padilla is from).
It would also involve NOAA scientists and meteorologists, emergency management officials, and communities that rely on weather warnings for disaster preparedness. **Key Provisions:** The bill directs NOAA to develop better forecasting systems, create standards for measuring forecast accuracy, and test new data sources like radar, aircraft observations, and ocean buoys to improve predictions. It emphasizes making forecasts "actionable"—meaning information that people can actually use to prepare and respond. **Current Status:** The bill is currently in committee and has not yet been voted on by the full Senate.
CRS Official Summary
Improving Atmospheric River Forecasts ActThis bill requires the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to establish an atmospheric river forecast improvement program.In carrying out the program, NOAA must seek to reduce loss of life and property and other economic losses caused by atmospheric river events through research and development on accurate, effective, and actionable forecasting and warnings. The program must generally involve the establishment of quantitative atmospheric river forecast skill metrics, the development of an atmospheric river forecast system within a unified forecast system, and the development of tools and products to predict periods of active or inactive atmospheric river landfalls and inland penetration, among other activities. The program must periodically test and evaluate the value of incorporating innovative observations (e.g., observations from radar, aircraft, ocean buoys, and other sources) to facilitate the improvement of modeling and forecasting. The program must also consider the development of best practices for communicating the existence and severity of atmospheric river events, as well as other information about atmospheric rivers. The program may seek to improve precipitation modeling, with an emphasis on forecasting for complex terrain. The bill also requires NOAA to acquire and sustain adequate crewed and uncrewed aircraft (i.e., drones), equipment, and personnel necessary to meet air reconnaissance mission requirements annually during the expected atmospheric river season (November through March).
Latest Action
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S484-485)