Staring down another above-average hurricane season, America’s weather forecasting and disaster response agencies are more hollowed out than ever before – and that could leave tens of millions of Americans more vulnerable to these massive storms.

U.S. government scientists forecast an above-normal 2025 hurricane season on Thursday, and said big staffing and budget cuts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration would not hinder its ability to forecast devastating storms and warn the public.

The National Weather Service director says the hurricane center is fully staffed and that he will make sure local forecasting offices have necessary resources.