When severe floods recently struck Texas, several critical positions at local National Weather Service offices were unfilled—including key leadership and forecasting roles. This left some offices understaffed during a high-stakes disaster, raising concerns about preparedness and response gaps in extreme weather events.

Editor’s Note: Floods are bad enough, but scrambling to respond with an understaffed team makes things riskier. This isn’t just about bureaucracy—it’s a real-world example of how staffing shortages can directly impact public safety when disasters strike. With extreme weather becoming more frequent, gaps like these could have life-or-death consequences.