El Nino, above-average Atlantic Ocean temperatures set the stage NOAA forecasters with the Climate Prediction Center, a division of the National Weather Service, predict near-normal hurricane activity in the Atlantic this year. NOAA’s outlook for the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season, which goes from June 1 to November 30, predicts a 40% chance of a near-normal season, a 30% chance of an above-normal...

Hello everyone. Thank you, Dr. Spinrad, for the introduction, and for having me here today. And thank you all for joining us. Welcome to NOAA’s National Center for Weather and Climate Prediction. At the Commerce Department, we are fully committed to NOAA’s mission to study, forecast, and issue watches, warnings, and other decision support for tropical systems in our ocean basins. Here and in...

Today, Vice President Harris announced that the Department of Commerce has recommended $562 million in funding for nearly 150 projects across 30 coastal states and territories to make communities and the economy more resilient to climate change, as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda. At an event in Miami, Florida, Vice President Harris will highlight how this...

Thank you for that kind introduction, Tom, and thank you to the Space Foundation for inviting me to speak today. I also want to thank Jodi Slattery and her great team for putting together this event and extend my gratitude to Macy Miller and the team at The Broadmoor for hosting us and putting together such a great show. Before I dive into the meat of my speech, I want to remind folks of the...

Thank you for that kind introduction, and thanks to the SATELLITE 2023 team and the Satellite Industry Association for inviting me to speak today. Our job at the Commerce Department is to improve America’s competitiveness so that our companies can succeed in the global economy. We want to ensure the United States remains the flag of choice for businesses operating in space. That means engaging...

NOAA satellites, which are crucial in weather and climate forecasts, helped rescue 397 people from potentially life-threatening situations throughout the U.S. and its surrounding waters in 2022. NOAA’s polar-orbiting and geostationary satellites are part of the global Search and Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking system, or COSPAS-SARSAT, which uses a network of U.S. and international spacecraft to...

“Hurricane Maria wrought devastation upon Puerto Rico five years ago. As we approach this solemn anniversary, Puerto Rico is once again sustaining severe weather, this time from Hurricane Fiona. The storm has caused disastrous, life-threatening flooding and left the archipelago completely without power. The Biden Administration has acted swiftly in issuing an emergency declaration for Puerto Rico...

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) have awarded more than $7.6 million in grants to fund research that will improve the ability of buildings, infrastructure and communities to hold strong against natural hazards. The agencies are funding 20 projects to be conducted across 24 institutions through the...

As the Nation gears up for another hurricane season in both the Atlantic and Pacific basins, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves addressed the impacts that hurricanes have on the U.S. economy and the need to combat the climate crisis at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) and U.S. Air Force Reserve’s (USAFR) Hurricane Awareness Tour at Reagan National Airport. The...

Thank you, Lori, for that kind introduction. And thank you, NOAA Administrator Dr. Rick Spinrad and National Hurricane Center Director Ken Graham for inviting me to join you today. I’d also like to welcome our interagency colleagues from the Air Force as well as FEMA Deputy Associate Administrator David Bibo. Their presence today proves that predicting, preparing for, and responding to hurricanes...