In the evolving landscape of e-commerce, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force—reshaping digital shopping experiences through real-time analytics, behavioral modeling, and hyper-personalization. As online retail continues

For most of us, music is a background hum that we tap into for motivation, relaxation, or simply to fill the silence. But what if it could be something more? Something like a portal into our most creative, focused selves? Yes, this is as cool as it sounds. And that's the premise behind Flow State, a new content series from AlphaTheta – the brand more commonly known for its Pioneer DJ products – created in collaboration with countercultural media platform HUCK and agency OCD Studio. Rooted in AlphaTheta's brand values of innovation, mindfulness and personal growth, Flow State signals a deliberate move beyond the decks and into a broader creative conversation. Through a series of stylised vignettes and intimate interviews, the series challenges audiences to think differently about music, not just as entertainment but as a tool for unlocking peak mental and creative performance. "We saw an opportunity to shift the perception of AlphaTheta beyond just DJ gear and toward a broader idea that music is a tool for peak performance," explains Tom Young, creative director at OCD Studio. "With more creatives talking about flow and mindfulness, now felt like the right time to connect the science of sound with the experience of creating." The framing is no accident, as AlphaTheta's very name alludes to alpha and theta brainwaves, which are both linked to heightened creativity, focus and flow states. By positioning music as a direct trigger for these mental modes, the series opens up a more expansive, holistic narrative around the brand. It's a strategy that builds on earlier efforts, such as AlphaTheta's documentary 'We Become One', which explored the psychological effects of dance music and collective experiences. With Flow State, the ambition goes deeper: to position AlphaTheta as a catalyst for creativity across disciplines, not just DJ booths. Visually, Flow State is stripped-back and cinematic. Each film captures a different creative immersed in their craft, whether that's music production, DJing or movement. Featuring names like Object Blue, Anu and Joel Mignott, the series offers a window into moments where chaos falls away and instinct takes over. "Your flow and how you get into it is quite personal," says Tom. "So we stripped back the aesthetic to reflect that. Clean frames, close textures, emotional clarity. The style mirrors the stillness creatives feel when they're in the zone." That quiet intensity runs throughout the series, mirroring the mental landscapes it seeks to explore. In an age where distraction is constant and attention spans are short, the ability to tune out noise and find focus has become its own kind of cultural currency. As Tom puts it: "In a world of AI-generated everything, your ability to lock in amongst a world of clutter and distraction communicates that you are a person of purpose and clarity." HUCK's editorial team played a central role in shaping the stories, drawing on their reputation for spotlighting subcultures and emerging creative voices. Known for championing artists like Mac Demarco, Flying Lotus and Ghetts before they hit the mainstream, HUCK's involvement ensures the series feels rooted in authenticity rather than product placement. "HUCK understood that this was about how people create," says Tom. "Their deep-rooted culture journalism helped us tell richer, more honest stories and made sure each film felt like a genuine reflection of the artist, not a product demo." While Object Blue, Anu and Joel Mignott each bring distinct disciplines and backgrounds to the table, what connects them is their emotional approach to creativity. Whether it's finding comfort in sound, using movement as a form of self-expression, or chasing a sense of presence, each story reveals that true flow isn't forced. "Interviewing them really showed that flow state only really comes when they're feeling open," says Tom. "It's not something that comes with extreme discipline." Beyond celebrating individual journeys, Flow State also taps into wider conversations about mental health, mindfulness and creative wellbeing. It reflects a growing shift in how brands engage with creative communities, moving away from surface-level aesthetics toward more nuanced, human-centred narratives. "Deep knowledge and understanding are status symbols," says Tom. "People want these deeper stories. Brands who understand that and help people tap into their full creative potential are the ones who will stay relevant." At a time when AI-generated content threatens to homogenise the creative industries, Flow State offers a timely reminder: creativity isn't just about output; it's a state of being. Sometimes, all it takes to access it is the right soundtrack.

June 5, 20254 min readThe Trump-Musk Fight Could Have Huge Consequences for U.S. Space ProgramsA vitriolic war of words between President Donald Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk could have profound repercussions for the nation’s civil and military space programsBy Lee Billings edited by Dean VisserElon Musk (left) and President Donald Trump (right) seemed to be on good terms during a press briefing in the Oval Office at the White House on May 30, 2025, but the event proved to be the calm before a social media storm. Kevin Dietsch/Getty ImagesFor several hours yesterday, an explosively escalating social media confrontation between arguably the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, and the world’s most powerful, President Donald Trump, shook U.S. spaceflight to its core.The pair had been bosom-buddy allies ever since Musk’s fateful endorsement of Trump last July—an event that helped propel Trump to an electoral victory and his second presidential term. But on May 28 Musk announced his departure from his official role overseeing the U.S. DOGE Service. And on May 31 the White House announced that it was withdrawing Trump’s nomination of Musk’s close associate Jared Isaacman to lead NASA. Musk abruptly went on the attack against the Trump administration, criticizing the budget-busting One Big Beautiful Bill Act, now navigating through Congress, as “a disgusting abomination.”Things got worse from there as the blowup descended deeper into threats and insults. On June 5 Trump suggested on his own social-media platform, Truth Social, that he could terminate U.S. government contracts with Musk’s companies, such as SpaceX and Tesla. Less than an hour later, the conflict suddenly grew more personal, with Musk taking to X, the social media platform he owns, to accuse Trump—without evidence—of being incriminated by as-yet-unreleased government documents related to the illegal activities of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.Musk upped the ante further in follow-up posts in which he endorsed a suggestion for impeaching Trump and, separately, declared in a now deleted post that because of the president’s threat, SpaceX “will begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately.” (Some five hours after his decommissioning comment, tempers had apparently cooled enough for Musk to walk back the remark in another X post: “Ok, we won’t decommission Dragon.”)Dragon is a crucial workhorse of U.S. human spaceflight. It’s the main way NASA’s astronauts get to and from the International Space Station (ISS) and also a key component of a contract between NASA and SpaceX to safely deorbit the ISS in 2031. If Dragon were to be no longer be available, NASA would, in the near term, have to rely on either Russian Soyuz vehicles or on Boeing’s glitch-plagued Starliner spacecraft for its crew transport—and the space agency’s plans for deorbiting the ISS would essentially go back to the drawing board. More broadly, NASA uses SpaceX rockets to launch many of its science missions, and the company is contracted to ferry astronauts to and from the surface of the moon as part of the space agency’s Artemis III mission.Trump’s and Musk’s retaliatory tit for tat also raises the disconcerting possibility of disrupting other SpaceX-centric parts of U.S. space plans, many of which are seen as critical for national security. Thanks to its wildly successful reusable Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets, the company presently provides the vast majority of space launches for the Department of Defense. And SpaceX’s constellation of more than 7,000 Starlink communications satellites has become vitally important to war fighters in the ongoing conflict between Russia and U.S.-allied Ukraine. SpaceX is also contracted to build a massive constellation of spy satellites for the DOD and is considered a leading candidate for launching space-based interceptors envisioned as part of Trump’s “Golden Dome” missile-defense plan.Among the avalanche of reactions to the incendiary spectacle unfolding in real time, one of the most extreme was from Trump’s influential former adviser Steve Bannon, who called on the president to seize and nationalize SpaceX. And in an interview with the New York Times, Bannon, without evidence, accused Musk, a naturalized U.S. citizen, of being an “illegal alien” who “should be deported from the country immediately.”NASA, for its part, attempted to stay above the fray via a carefully worded late-afternoon statement from the space agency’s press secretary Bethany Stevens: “NASA will continue to execute upon the President’s vision for the future of space,” Stevens wrote. “We will continue to work with our industry partners to ensure the President’s objectives in space are met.”The response from the stock market was, in its own way, much less muted. SpaceX is not a publicly traded company. But Musk’s electric car company Tesla is. And it experienced a massive sell-off at the end of June 5’s trading day: Tesla’s share price fell down by 14 percent, losing the company a whopping $152 billion of its market value.Today a rumored détente phone conversation between the two men has apparently been called off, and Trump has reportedly said he now intends to sell the Tesla he purchased in March in what was then a gesture of support for Musk. But there are some signs the rift may yet heal: Musk has yet to be deported; SpaceX has not been shut down; Tesla’s stock price is surging back from its momentary heavy losses; and it seems NASA astronauts won’t be stranded on Earth or on the ISS for the time being.Even so, the entire sordid episode—and the possibility of further messy clashes between Trump and Musk unfolding in public—highlights a fundamental vulnerability at the heart of the nation’s deep reliance on SpaceX for access to space. Outsourcing huge swaths of civil and military space programs to a disruptively innovative private company effectively controlled by a single individual certainly has its rewards—but no shortage of risks, too.

Trump's tariff plans still need to be decided on in court but CNET is keeping tabs on prices that might have already been impacted.

When I first began advising organizations on AI implementation and adoption, I noticed a concerning trend: Organizational leaders were fixated on the hype cycle, yet lacked a clear understanding of why it mattered to their busi

Where others have become obsessed with speed and trends, Sergio Membrillas has built a career on slowing down and staying true to his craft. Over 13 years as a professional illustrator, he's evolved a distinct style – bold, graphic, and quietly playful – that feels both timeless and entirely his own. But this evolution, as he's quick to point out, wasn't something he forced. "I believe evolution is essential for every artist," Sergio reflects. "Change is not something I resist; it's something I enjoy and welcome as part of the creative journey." His work, initially influenced by a love of Mid-Century graphic design, has gradually absorbed references as diverse as Etruscan art, Mesopotamian motifs, and early 20th-century traditional tattoos. It's a portfolio built on curiosity, not conformity. Despite his stylistic clarity, Sergio's process remains refreshingly analogue at its core. He still begins each project with pencil and paper, leaning into the tactility of drawing by hand. "I've always valued having a physical relationship with art," he says. "There's something essential about feeling the wood of the pencil, manually erasing mistakes, rather than simply double-tapping a screen." His philosophy of working slowly, attentively, and with purpose shows in the balanced compositions and confident use of negative space that has become his signature. Sergio credits his background in graphic design for this instinctive sense of structure. "There has always been a strong graphic sensibility within me," he says, noting that the discipline of design continues to inform his illustration practice, particularly in editorial and poster work where clarity and storytelling must co-exist. Yet, like many creative careers, his path into illustration wasn't plotted from the start. Initially, Sergio imagined illustration would complement his design projects, not become the main event. "At first, I thought I would incorporate my illustrations into my graphic design projects – but in the end, it turned out to be the other way around." A commission for EasyJet's in-flight magazine marked a pivotal moment that reframed illustration from a hobby to a profession. "It made me realize that being an illustrator is a real profession, just like any other." Fast-forward to today, and Sergio's client list reads like a who's who of publishing and design, from The New Yorker to Pentagram. While the calibre of collaborators has changed, what matters most remains the same: trust. "When a client trusts your work and approaches projects with an open mind, collaboration flourishes," he says. It's in these open, trusting relationships that Sergio finds the space to experiment and further develop his ideas. Unsurprisingly, editorial work holds a special place for him. "Editorial projects offer wider creative margins, allowing for greater flexibility and innovation," he explains. Compared to the tighter confines of advertising, editorial illustration offers the opportunity to tell nuanced stories, and Sergio is clear that he views every assignment, regardless of format, as a collaborative effort. If one thing is clear, though, it's that he's not that he's afraid to say no when needed. Maintaining a strong personal voice is non-negotiable. "I always strive to stay true to myself and ensure that every project I undertake reflects a clear personal signature," he says. For Sergio, authenticity isn't just a matter of artistic pride; it's what differentiates an illustrator in a saturated, increasingly automated industry. Valencia is home for Sergio, a city he credits with much of his creative energy. "Oh, Valencia! It's a beautiful city that inspires me and brings me joy," he says, describing it as a European cousin to Los Angeles with its sun-soaked streets and vibrant cultural scene. The blend of tradition and modernity fuels his practice, offering constant inspiration without the sensory overload that often accompanies larger creative hubs. Given the pressure many creatives feel to keep pace with shifting trends, Sergio's approach feels almost radical. "I'm not particularly interested in trends," he says. "What truly matters to me is the feeling of having done something meaningful and fulfilling by the end of the day." Instead of chasing what's fashionable, he draws inspiration from a surprisingly eclectic bookshelf, mixing everything from Wim Crouwel's graphic design classics to studies on Scandinavian tattoos and Alec Soth's photography. It's a reminder that fresh ideas rarely come from looking where everyone else is looking. In the era of AI and content overload, the role of the illustrator is changing, but Sergio remains optimistic. While machine learning might churn out images at record speed, it can't replicate the nuance and emotional intelligence that underpin great illustration. "Illustrators can tell stories, evoke emotions, and create meaningful connections that machines simply cannot replicate," he says. "Our role is shifting, but the value of authentic, thoughtful illustration remains indispensable." That insistence on authenticity carries through to the advice he offers younger illustrators navigating a commercial landscape. "Create work that makes you happy when you go to sleep at night," Sergio advises. "It's important to find projects that align with your values and passions so your artistic voice remains authentic." It's an ethos that has carried him through more than a decade of creative highs and industry shifts. Perhaps it's the real secret behind the clarity of his practice, which he has built not on chasing trends or algorithms but on careful craft, deliberate evolution, and the simple, enduring joy of a well-made pencil and a blank piece of paper.

Menu Home News Hardware Gaming Mobile Finance Deals Reviews How To Wccftech Deals The World’s Most Affordable Wi-Fi 7 Router, The TP-Link Archer BE230, Just Got A Whole Lot More Pocket-Friendly On Amazon, With A 26 Percent Discount Bringing The Price Down To Just $89 Omar Sohail • Jun 6, 2025 at 03:37am EDT The majority of Wi-Fi 7 routers continue to be out of reach of most people’s budget, which is expected, as it will take a while before this standard is widely adopted. Fortunately, TP-Link wants these devices to be in every household and office building and has resorted to an aggressive pricing approach to make this possible. Its Archer BE230 is one of the most affordable Wi-Fi 7 routers available at this time, and with Amazon’s latest 26 percent discount, you can become the proud owner of one for just $89. This is the lowest figure that we have seen for the Archer BE230, and it comes loaded with a multitude of technologies designed to amplify your wireless networking experience. With its four antennas, range will be of little to no concern, and this Wi-Fi 7 router is loaded with innovations like Multi-Link Operation (MLO) to increase speeds and reduce latency, along with Multi-RU for enhanced throughput. The Archer BE230 supports dual-band technology and can reach 3.6Gbps of bandwidth, but if you want to adopt a wired connection, you have two 2.5Gbps ports to make this possible. Whether you require the Archer BE230 for your personal use or office space, this Wi-Fi 7 router covers nearly everything. TP-Link has also gone the extra mile and adopted voice commands and an ‘easy to use’ Tether app that is extremely simple to use when setting up your router for the first time. Regarding pricing, the Archer BE230 is currently unmatched, but if you live in a larger area, you would be better off purchasing the higher-end Archer BE550, the company’s more powerful tri-band router that is listed on Amazon for $199.99. Fortunately, you can slash an additional $20 off the price with the included promo code. Get the TP-Link Archer BE230 Wi-Fi 7 router from Amazon - $89 (26 percent off) Get the TP-Link Archer BE550 tri-band Wi-Fi 7 router from Amazon - $199.99 (20 percent off, apply promo code 20BE550 to get an additional $20 off on your purchase) *As a member of the Amazon Associate program, Wccftech may earn a commission from qualifying purchases* Deal of the Day Subscribe to get an everyday digest of the latest technology news in your inbox Follow us on Topics Sections Company Some posts on wccftech.com may contain affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com © 2025 WCCF TECH INC. 700 - 401 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Mario Kart World – is it a backwards step? (Nintendo) The Friday letters page is surprised the Sony State of Play didn’t go down better with more people, as readers share images of the Switch 2 midnight launches. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.uk Initial experience I’ve spent a few hours playing Mario Kart World in single and multiplayer, and my first impression is that it’s a bit… boring.The free roam aspect of the game seemed like it had heaps of potential but, for the most part, it feels aimless. Sure, there are things to collect and discover, but in-between there’s just driving. Lots and lots of driving. It’s not exactly a world brimming with things to do in the same way as the sandbox areas in Super Mario Odyssey, for example. As for the races, in principle it makes sense that the tracks need to be wider to accommodate 24 racers. However, the races themselves don’t generally feel any busier because you’re still, generally, just competing against those closest to your level of ability. Consequently, I felt the game lacks the chaotic energy of jostling your rivals to get ahead because there’s so much space on the otherwise well-designed courses. I know it’s unfair to compare Mario Kart World to Mario Kart 8 at this point, given the latter spanned two consoles, with a plethora of content reflecting that. But it’s hard not to feel that while the free roam section is a solid demonstration of technical advancement (even if the inability to integrate it with Grand Prix mode seems like a missed opportunity), the core gameplay is consistent, at best. In some respects, I’d say it’s more of a step backwards, if anything. That being said, I don’t think this is the same version of Mario Kart World we’ll be playing five years from now. Free roam mode feels like a playground in which Nintendo can experiment, and I fully expect them to do so. There’ll undoubtedly be a slew of DLC and perhaps better integration of the various modes into one seamless experience. Expert, exclusive gaming analysis Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. In the unlikely event that this is the final iteration of Mario Kart World, it’s currently a six or (generous) seven out of 10 and probably the least enthralled I’ve ever been with a new Mario Kart title. But I’ll give Nintendo the benefit of the doubt for now because this doesn’t feel like a game that’s even close to being finished.Needlemouse Just add SonyFirstly, I’m surprised by the relatively lukewarm response to the State of Play from some people; I thought it was one of the best in recent memory and there were only a few games that I personally had little interest in. The main reason for writing in is the recent addition of Destiny 2: The Final Shape to PS Plus subscription. In short, I played a lot of Destiny 2 back in the day but have subsequently not played any of the most recent DLCs/additions. Can The Final Shape be played as a standalone? (both logistically and in terms of the story)?John GC: We think people were upset that Sony themselves had nothing to show from their first parties, even though we agree it was overall a good show. As far as we understand, you don’t need any other expansions to play The Final Shape. Only one Just a quick heads up for anyone buying digital content on either a Switch or Switch 2 console, if you are Switch online subscriber you can purchase a voucher for £84 that lets you purchase any two titles from a list of games.This reduces each game to a reasonable £42 and the vouchers are valid for a year. I didn’t get an alert about this until after I’d purchased Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, which I paid £59.99 for. I did at least then go on to buy a voucher for £84 and redeemed each token for Super Mario Bros. Wonder and Super Mario 3D Land + Bowser’s Fury.Charlie H. GC: It’s important to note these can’t be used for Switch 2 exclusive games. Email your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.uk Midnight gathering I’ve seen a lot of pictures from the Switch 2 launch, so I thought I’d send you a picture of the queue at Smyth’s in Dublin city centre, a couple of minutes after midnight.I think there were a couple of hundred people there when I arrived. if I’d known then that I wouldn’t get out of the store until 2:30am, I might have gone home and tried again in the morning. But in the end, I’m glad I waited. I’ve just been tinkering with it so far, hooked it up to the TV, and played a little bit of Mario Kart World and Cyberpunk 2077, so I can’t really give any conclusions. But when my (dedicated non-gamer) wife saw it, her reaction was, ‘Oh, it looks much better! Can I play it?’ So I think Nintendo are on to another winner.Mickah Night-time rendezvous (Mickah) American retail I was on my way down to Smyths Leeds to collect my Switch 2 Mario Kart bundle, that I had pre-ordered a month ago.I called in at Costco on the way and was surprised to find they had the Mario Kart bundle for £419.99, so I decided to get one from there. It was late afternoon Thursday and they looked to have plenty left. It is limited to one per customer. I will let my pre-order lapse so it will cancel in two days.Martin GC: We had no idea Costco existed in the UK. Maybe we’re not the only ones and that’s why they have so many left. C’mon DoreenSomebody (not me, don’t know how) should start a petition to get Squirrel Girl in that Marvel game for you guys. How good did it all look? How good was that showcase? What have Sony been up too? That’s what. Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection is already on my wishlist. That surfing sword game wasn’t bad either. With Nintendo too, great times ahead.Indiegaz (PSN ID) GC: At least she’s in Marvel Rivals. Autumnal purchase So I won’t be buying the Nintendo Switch 2 at launch. I’ll be instead visiting Tenerife in August. But I do hope the system reviews well and those who have purchased it are zooming around on Mario Kart World. I’ll be hopefully purchasing the device before autumn of this year. But you never know what could happen.So my sister paid for my ticket and it of course must be paid back. A debt is a debt. Which is quite fitting, since I just finished my playthrough of Red Dead Redemption and just as John Marston paid his debt to a life of crime and Edgar Ross paid his debt to a vengeful son. I’ll be hopefully paid up in less than three months, then I’ll be purchasing the Switch 2 and with more information on the games, reviews, and what’s to come for the future. For now however, I look towards a week spent in the beaches of Spain and my focus on the remainder of my maths course. Also, a playthrough of Resident Evil 3 remake. Only six hours long. Can’t complain.Shahzaib Sadiq Free for all Borderlands 2 and Hellslave are currently free on Steam on PC. Hellslave is available for free until Sunday, 15th June. Also, Deathloop is currently free on Epic Games Store.I hope everyone who gets a Switch 2 enjoys it. I will have to probably get one next year now, as I need to buy a new gaming computer because my current gaming PC will not upgrade to Windows 11, unfortunately.Andrew J. Old reliable Just writing this after a couple of hours with the Switch 2. I always end up with whatever Nintendo’s latest console is at some point in its lifetime (going back to the Game Boy Advance) but for the first time I decided to jump onboard day one.The price rises for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X have shown that the assumption consoles will get cheaper in the medium term isn’t a guarantee, and the feature list for the Switch 2 ticked pretty much every box I wanted from an upgrade to the original. Bump in specs, sturdier Joy-Con, and a new interface with the mouse controls. What I’ve not seen many people comment on yet is the set-up experience. It isn’t always a given with Nintendo that this is going to be smooth, but I found that the transfer from my original to Switch 2 was seamless. I had one error message in setting up GameChat, but restarting the process fixed that, and now I can settle into at least another few years of Nintendo gaming joy. As I approach the business end of 40 years old, it’s a comfort to know that the likes of Mario, Yoshi, and the other inhabitants of the Mushroom Kingdom are still karting away 30-odd years after the SNES original.Electric Crocosaurus GC: That’s a cool name. Inbox also-rans Yes! My Switch 2 has turned up and have the rest of the week off, and it’s Summer Game Fest on Friday night. Now that is what I call eating well for games fans!LemptonAs promised, here is the pic from the queue at Smyths toy store at midnight. Sorry I couldn’t get one from inside but they were only letting two at a time in. Not a bad turn out. I had about 20 people behind me too.woz_007 (NN ID) The way launches used to be (woz_007) Email your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.uk More Trending The small printNew Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers’ letters are used on merit and may be edited for length and content. You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Reader’s Feature at any time via email or our Submit Stuff page, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot. You can also leave your comments below and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter. GameCentral Sign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

June 5, 20253 min readNew Hires Will Still Leave the NWS Dangerously Understaffed, Meteorologists SayNearly 600 employees left the National Weather Service or were fired in recent months. Meteorologists say 125 expected new hires will still leave the agency dangerously understaffedBy Chelsea Harvey & E&E News A tornado struck communities in Somerset and London, Ky., on May 16, 2025, leaving 19 dead and more injured. Michael Swensen/Getty ImagesCLIMATEWIRE | New hiring efforts at the National Weather Service won’t be enough to overcome staffing shortages and potential risks to human lives this summer, meteorologists warned Wednesday at a panel hosted by Democratic Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell.NOAA will hire around 125 new employees at the NWS, the agency said in an announcement first reported Monday by CNN. But nearly 600 employees have departed the NWS over the last few months, after the Trump administration fired probationary federal employees and offered buyouts and early retirements.That means the new hires will account for less than 25 percent of the total losses.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.“A quarter of the staff are not going to do the job when, let’s just say, both hurricane and fire risks are increasing,” Cantwell said during Wednesday’s panel. “[The Trump administration’s] approach in response to this has been a flimsy Band-Aid over a very massive cut.”Cantwell added that the National Hurricane Center is not fully staffed, as NOAA officials suggested last month when announcing their predictions for the upcoming Atlantic hurricane season outlook. The NHC has at least five vacancies, she said, representing meteorologists and technicians who help build forecasts for tropical cyclones in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.Meanwhile, NOAA is predicting above-average activity in the Atlantic this hurricane season. Updated fire maps also suggest that nearly all of Cantwell’s home state of Washington, along with Oregon and large swaths of California, will experience an above-average risk of wildfires by August.Kim Doster, NOAA’s director of communications, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on NOAA’s staffing shortages or the NHC’s vacancies.Three meteorologists speaking on the panel echoed Cantwell’s concerns, suggesting that staffing shortages at weather offices across the country risk forecasting errors and breakdowns in communication between meteorologists and emergency managers.At least eight local weather offices across the country are currently so short-staffed that they can no longer cover their overnight shifts, said Brian LaMarre, a former meteorologist-in-charge at the NWS office in Tampa Bay, Florida. Some of these offices may have to rely on “mutual aid,” or borrowed staff, from other NWS locations to cover their shifts during extreme weather events.But Cantwell and other panelists expressed concern that staff-sharing across the NWS could erode the accuracy of forecasts and warnings for local communities.Cantwell pointed to the meteorologists that specialize in fire weather forecasts. NOAA typically deploys those experts to provide forecasts and recommendations to firefighters on the ground when wildfires strike.“If you think you're gonna substitute somebody that’s gonna be somewhere else — I don’t know where, some other part of the state or some other state — and you think you're gonna give them accurate weather information? It just doesn't work that way,” she said.Washington state-based broadcast meteorologist Jeff Renner echoed her concerns.“The meteorologists that respond to [wildfires] have very specific training and very specific experience that can’t be easily duplicated, particularly from those outside the area,” he said.Meanwhile, LaMarre’s former position in Tampa is vacant, and around 30 other offices across the country are also operating without a permanent meteorologist-in-charge.“That person is the main point of contact when it comes to briefing elected officials, emergency management directors, state governors, city mayors, parish officials,” LaMarre said. “They are the individual that’s gonna be implementing any new change that is needed for hurricane season, blizzards, wildfires, inland flooding.”The NWS suffered from staffing shortages prior to the Trump administration. But LaMarre said he never saw such widespread vacancies, including offices unable to operate overnight, in his 30 years at the agency.He emphasized that NWS meteorologists will do whatever it takes to ensure accurate forecasts when extreme weather strikes. But too many gaps at local offices mean that some services will inevitably suffer, LaMarre added.“Whenever you look at an office that is short-staffed, that means a piece of that larger puzzle is taken away,” he said. “That means some outreach might not be able to occur. Some trainings might not be able to occur. Some briefings to officials might not be able to occur.”Reprinted from E&E News with permission from POLITICO, LLC. Copyright 2025. E&E News provides essential news for energy and environment professionals.

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