Fire Ready Nation Act of 2025This bill provides statutory authority for existing wildfire response services of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and establishes new programs and collaborative efforts to improve fire forecasting and readiness. Specifically, in addition to other efforts, the bill directs NOAA to establish a coordinated fire weather services program to support readiness for and responsiveness to wildfires, fire weather, smoke, post-fire flooding and debris, and related hazards;develop a digital presence to promote access to and use of the services, tools, data, and information produced by the fire weather services program;establish a fire weather test bed to facilitate the evaluation and implementation of new capabilities, including through research and development on the use of uncrewed aircraft systems (commonly known as drones) to improve data collection;conduct an annual assessment after the close of fire weather season to investigate data gaps and update systems as needed;evaluate and update, as appropriate, the Automated Surface Observing System (the primary surface weather network in the United States) and the system used to rate the risk of wildfire; andestablish an Incident Meteorologist Service within the National Weather Service to provide on-site support before, during, and after significant weather-related events.The bill also exempts federal wildland firefighters, fire management response officials, and accompanying incident meteorologists and management teams from certain premium pay limitations. Finally, the bill directs the Government Accountability Office to evaluate and report on the implementation of the fire weather services program, among other topics.
Fire Ready Nation Act of 2024
A bill to improve the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's weather research, support improvements in weather forecasting and prediction, expand commercial opportunities for the provision of weather data, and for other purposes.
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).
Improving Atmospheric River Forecasts Act
TORNADO Act Tornado Observations Research and Notification Assessment for Development of Operations Act
Smarter Weather Forecasting for Water Management, Farming, and Ranching Act of 2025This bill directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to establish pilot projects to support improved subseasonal to seasonal precipitation forecasting for water management in the western United States and for agriculture nationwide. (Under current law, subseasonal means the time range between two weeks and three months, and seasonal means the time range between three months and two years.)Specifically, NOAA must establish a pilot project to address challenges to improving forecasting and related product development for water management in the western United States. The project must address, among other items, improvements to operational modeling in mountainous regions and to the forecasting of atmospheric rivers. NOAA must also establish a second pilot project to address challenges to improving forecasting and related product development for U.S. agriculture. The project must address, among other items, improvements to operational modeling of warm-season precipitation and to the prediction of certain spring and summer weather patterns. Each pilot project must include activities that engage with and leverage the resources of academic institutions and entities within NOAA, and that achieve measurable objectives for operational forecast improvement. NOAA’s authority with respect to these pilot projects expires five years after the bill’s enactment.
Smarter Weather Forecasting for Water Management, Farming, and Ranching Act of 2024