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Hurricane Forecast Improvement Program Enhancement Act
To amend the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 with respect to the hurricane forecast improvement program, and for other purposes.
Summary
This bill enhances the federal hurricane forecast improvement program to develop more accurate hurricane predictions and warnings in order to reduce loss of life and property. The program focuses on improving prediction of rapid intensity changes, hurricane paths, inland and storm surge flooding, and incorporating social and economic sciences into risk communication. The bill authorizes grants for research on hurricane formation, impacts, and forecasting tools, and directs expanded use of computational resources and innovative observation technologies. It requires annual reporting through 2029 on research progress, missed forecasting requirements, workforce needs, and plans to transition new hurricane technology from research to operational use.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
- Sen. Budd, Ted [R-NC] (R-NC)
Actions (2)
- Feb 25, 2026 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. · senate
- Feb 25, 2026 Introduced in Senate
Similar bills (6)
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Full text
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 25, 2026
Mr. Budd introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
A BILL
To amend the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 with respect to the hurricane forecast improvement program, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Hurricane Forecast Improvement Program Enhancement Act”.
SEC. 2. HURRICANE FORECAST IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
Section 104 of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8514) is amended to read as follows:
“SEC. 104. HURRICANE FORECAST IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
“(a) In General.—The Under Secretary, in collaboration with the United States weather industry and academic partners, shall maintain a program to improve hurricane forecasting, predictions, and warnings.
“(b) Goal.—The goal of the program under subsection (a) shall be to develop and extend accurate hurricane forecasts, predictions, and warnings in order to reduce the loss of life or property related to hurricanes, with a focus on the following:
“(1) Improving the understanding, prediction, and communication of rapid intensity change and projected path of hurricanes, including probabilistic methods for hurricane hazard mapping.
“(2) Improving the forecast and impact-based communication of inland flooding, compound flooding, and storm surges from hurricanes.
“(3) Incorporating social, behavioral, risk, communication, and economic sciences to clearly inform response to prevent the loss of life or property.
“(4) Evaluating and incorporating, as appropriate, innovative observations, including acoustic or infrasonic measurements, novel sensor technologies, observation tools or networks, crewed or uncrewed systems, and hosted instruments on commercial aircrafts, vessels, and satellites.
“(c) Activities.—In carrying out subsection (a), the Under Secretary shall award grants for research, including relating to the following:
“(1) Implementing key strategies and following priorities and objectives outlined by the 2019 report of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration entitled, ‘Hurricane Forecast Improvement Program’.
“(2) In coordination with the Social and Behavioral Sciences Subcommittee of the National Science and Technology Council and other relevant interagency committees, improving the social, behavioral, and economic sciences related to risk communication, and delivery of information critical for reducing the loss of life or property related to hurricanes.
“(3) Improving the physical sciences, operational modeling, and tools related to hurricane formation, the impacts of wind and water-based hurricane hazards on the built and natural environment, and the interaction of hurricanes and tornadoes.
“(d) Warnings.—In carrying out subsection (a), the Under Secretary shall—
“(1) conduct and transition to operations the research necessary to develop and deploy probabilistic weather forecast guidance technology relating to hurricanes and related weather phenomena;
“(2) incorporate into hurricane modeling and forecasting, as appropriate, social, behavioral, and economic sciences research; and
“(3) expand computational resources, including cloud computing, to support and improve higher resolution operational modeling of hurricanes and related weather phenomena.
“(e) Annual Report.—Not later than June 1 of each year until 2029, the Under Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives a report that includes the following:
“(1) The number and causes of missed mission requirements for the National Hurricane Operations Plan and the National Winter Season Operations Plan, including those related to equipment malfunction, aircraft availability, aircraft maintenance, flight hour limits, and availability of pilots or other air and maintenance crew members.
“(2) Requirements related to the plans described in paragraph (1) that were requested by forecasters but not tasked, and the reasons why those were not tasked.
“(3) A workforce management plan addressing any shortfalls in human capital resources that are necessary for hurricane observational data collection aboard aircraft or uncrewed systems.
“(4) A summary of—
“(A) hurricane technology that is under research and development to improve confidence in hurricane track and intensity predictions;
“(B) hurricane technology that is at the prototype demonstration stage or beyond; and
“(C) plans for transitioning the hurricane technology described in subparagraph (B) into operations.”. <all>
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