This bill would change section 1762 of the Food Security Act of 1985 to require the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere (NOAA) to run at least two pilot projects inside the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research’s U.S. Weather Research Program. The pilots must focus on improving subseasonal to seasonal precipitation forecasts for: (A) water management in the western United States, and (B) agriculture across the United States. The bill lists specific science goals for each pilot, such as better model resolution in mountains, improved modeling of air-sea and land-surface interactions, better forecasts of atmospheric rivers and winter storm tracks, better soil moisture and drought process modeling, and improved warm-season precipitation modeling. Pilot activities must follow recommendations from a 2020 National Weather Service report, set measurable objectives for operational forecast improvement, engage institutions of higher education and NOAA entities (like Regional Climate Centers and the National Centers for Environmental Information), and coordinate with NOAA research and the National Weather Service. The authority to run these pilots ends five years after the bill becomes law. The bill also authorizes $45,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2029 to carry out the section's activities.
If you work in western water management, farming, or ranching, this bill directs NOAA to run pilots aimed at producing better subseasonal to seasonal precipitation forecasts and related products. The pilots are required to involve universities and NOAA regional centers and to set measurable goals for improving operational forecasts. The authority for these pilots is limited to a five-year period after enactment.
The bill authorizes $45,000,000 to be appropriated for each fiscal year 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028, and 2029 to carry out the activities in the amended section. No publicly available information on other costs or offsets is included in the bill text or metadata provided.
The bill text directs NOAA to address specific scientific and operational challenges in subseasonal to seasonal forecasting for western water management and U.S. agriculture. It requires implementation of recommendations from the 2020 National Weather Service report, measurable objectives for forecast improvement, and coordination with academic and NOAA partners.
No publicly available information.