This summer is already set to be one of the hottest on record in the United States. With worsening weather conditions and a multitude of extreme climate events, the US is preparing the best they can for the coming months.
While preparation measures are in place, there is major concern over the lingering impacts of the Trump Administration cutting funding for key agencies that assist the nation for these conditions. Funding and staff for federal science, forecasting resources, and disaster response agencies have been cut drastically throughout the US, which could leave many citizens vulnerable.
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According to the latest forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the extreme heat this summer will be “widespread.” Many parts of America have already begun to feel the impact in these beginning weeks of summer.
The NOAA reported that throughout the spring this year there was a lack of precipitation. That combined with high temperatures and dry conditions could lead to increased levels of drought and wildfires this summer.
Trump’s “Department of Government Efficiency” has made major cuts to the National Weather Service, specifically in Texas where the Houston office for the service has been left understaffed and without any permanent leadership, according to reports from the Guardian.
Despite the fact that the US, and the world, has been continuously left susceptible to threatening weather conditions, federal science agencies like NOAA have been forced to operate at a reduced capacity and without proper funding.
These cuts have led to hundreds of meteorologists leaving the National Weather Service. Now, Americans are turning to their local and state officials for guidance when it comes to handling heat and extreme weather. Non-profits and universities have also become a reliable source of information when it comes to handling our changing climate.
From Rice University in Houston, climate scientist Sylvia Dee and her colleagues have described the major heat we’ve experienced as a “slow violence” against humanity. Climate change as a whole is a major threat to our health. Air pollution combined with extreme weather creates an environment that will become unsustainable for a healthy life.
“There’s just so many things that center around heat stress. Extreme heat can hijack our brain’s ability to think clearly. Those executive functions like decision-making and inhibition and sequencing tasks, they all become harder,” Adrienne Heinz, a clinical research psychologist at Stanford University, said to reporters.
“It becomes like walking through mud. It affects your ability to learn if you’re a student or your ability to perform if you’re an employee. It doesn’t leave anything untouched, really.”
The NOAA reports that excessive heat levels are the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the US. According to a 2024 report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, heat-related deaths in the US have increased by 117% since 1999.
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Dee has stated that Texas is a prime example of what the US should look at to see the devastating impacts of climate change.
“I feel like Houston is ground zero for climate change. I think there’s some level of frustration amongst us because, you know, we have been living through these conditions for many years,” she said.
“We’re going to have more people in harm’s way. The exposure of Houstonians to weather and climate disasters will only increase. We’re very overwhelmed and trying desperately to sound the alarm.”
Heinz emphasized these points regarding the current, and worsening, impacts that our climate conditions have on human health.
“These prolonged heat waves affect sleep, the cornerstone of our mental health. Our ability to weather adversity and emotionally regulate is compromised when we’re not getting good sleep.”
With staffing and funding cuts, it’s unclear how much federal bodies will be able to prepare and respond to extreme weather such as heat emergencies.
An anonymous climate scientist from the Department of Energy said:
“It’s pretty scary. Summers are only getting hotter, and wildfire seasons have been getting longer and more intense for years. These disruptions to federal science infrastructure and emergency response capacity come at the worst possible time.”
As a means of combatting the removal of necessary protections and funding from the Trump administration, many heat-prone cities and states, such as Arizona, California, and Nevada, have written and passed legislation, regulations, and ordinances to create a baseline for combatting extreme heat, and climate change in general.
Mandy Ikert, the head of climate resilience with C40, an international group of cities working together on climate issues, said “with the health, safety, and economic impacts of extreme weather increasing, mayors know that inaction is not an option.”
“Cities are taking a broad range of approaches to help their residents stay safe during the heat season, including investing in cooling centers, increased communication to residents, and new policies to make buildings and the people inside them safer.”
Eric Mastrota is a Contributing Editor at The National Digest based in New York. A graduate of SUNY New Paltz, he reports on world news, culture, and lifestyle. You can reach him at eric.mastrota@thenationaldigest.com.
