NWS Restores Twice-Daily Weather Balloon Launches
National Weather Service offices nationwide have been ordered to return to their previous schedule of twice-daily weather balloon launches.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Current Conditions
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National Weather Service offices across the country were ordered to resume their previous schedule of twice-daily weather balloon launches. The move follows cutbacks in mid-March 2025 that reduced at least 13 of nearly 100 balloon sites.
Why it matters
Missing morning observations leave gaps in the data used to initialize computer forecast models, which affects forecasts across the United States. Restoring the launches is expected to give forecasters better information going into those models.
At least 13 of nearly 100 balloon sites were cut or reduced in mid-March 2025, against a restored schedule of launches every 12 hours. The extraction does not specify how many of the affected sites have resumed launches.
The players
National Weather Service
The National Weather Service is the federal agency responsible for issuing weather forecasts and warnings across the United States.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is the federal science agency whose oversight includes the National Weather Service.
Department of Government Efficiency
The Department of Government Efficiency is a federal entity that took aim at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in 2025.
The details
Weather balloons collect data on temperature, humidity, air pressure, wind speed and wind direction at various altitudes, and the network has operated since the 1930s. The cutbacks occurred when the Department of Government Efficiency targeted the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in 2025, and two sites in northern Michigan and Wisconsin had data gaps during a March 2025 ice storm.
Timeline
Mid-March 2025: At least 13 balloon sites were cut or reduced.
March 2025: An ice storm in northern Michigan caused data gaps at two launch sites.
November 5, 2026: CBS News Detroit reported that the National Weather Service ordered launches resumed.
Seasonal Patterns
The restoration reverses cutbacks made after the Department of Government Efficiency targeted the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in 2025. Balloon launch data dating to the 1930s feeds forecast models that shape how weather patterns are tracked year to year.
Residents who rely on local forecasts should expect forecast models to improve as twice-daily launches resume across the country. The extraction does not specify any specific safety actions or advisories for the public.
The takeaway
Consistent twice-daily balloon data is a foundation for accurate forecasting, and its restoration gives forecasters the upper-air observations they rely on. Readers can expect steadier forecast inputs as the national network returns to its regular schedule.
Further reading
For a broader view of atmospheric readings, see Current Conditions.
Source note: This article includes information reported by CBS News.
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