Forecasting for the Public Good: Dr. Louis Uccellini Spotlights the National Weather Service on The Good Government Show

Forecasting for the Public Good: Dr. Louis Uccellini Spotlights the National Weather Service on The Good Government Show

When Dr. Louis Uccellini was just a toddler on Long Island, his mother would calm him by bringing him to the window to watch the snow fall. That early fascination with clouds and storms turned into a nearly 50-year career at the highest levels of American weather forecasting—and a lifelong commitment to public service.

Now retired from his post as Director of the National Weather Service (NWS), Dr. Uccellini recently joined Dave Martin on The Good Government Show for a sweeping conversation about science, public safety, and why a $4-per-taxpayer investment in the Weather Service is among the smartest—and most essential—uses of government funding.

“We predict from the sun to the sea, from Guam to the Mid-Atlantic, from the north slopes of Alaska to the Caribbean—every day,” Dr. Uccellini told Martin.

That breadth of coverage, powered by a workforce of just 4,000 people, ensures accurate weather forecasts that fuel local news reports, mobile apps, emergency alerts, and life-saving decision-making. In fact, most private weather providers like AccuWeather and Weather Underground rely heavily on data generated by the NWS—data paid for and maintained by the federal government.

As director from 2013 to 2022, Uccellini led sweeping reforms, including the Weather-Ready Nation initiative and a top-to-bottom budget overhaul that made the NWS more transparent, accountable, and nimble in the face of new technology and a changing climate. He bridged the gap between raw meteorological data and real-world decision-making, making the NWS an indispensable partner to emergency managers, local governments, and the private sector.

Still, his message on the podcast was urgent: chronic underfunding and recent staffing losses—now totaling over 500 employees—pose real risks to the system that Americans count on every day. With balloon launches delayed, forecasts reduced, and staff stretched thin, Uccellini warned that the system could snap under pressure.

“You increase the risk that something’s going to break at the worst possible time,” he said. “And when forecasts fail in critical moments, lives and livelihoods are on the line.”

Uccellini also pushed back against attacks from the Project 2025 agenda, which dismissed NOAA and the NWS as bloated bureaucracies fueling “climate alarmism.” The reality, he explained, is that decades of scientific research and international collaboration have led to increasingly accurate forecasts and verified climate models—models that predicted today’s warming trends decades ago.

What makes the Weather Service special, Uccellini emphasized, is its mission-driven workforce. “When McKinsey reviewed us in 2015, they found that over 85% of employees named the mission as their primary reason for working there. That’s off the charts,” he said.

That mission—protecting life and property—remains as vital as ever, especially as extreme weather events increase in frequency and intensity.

For listeners of The Good Government Show, Dr. Uccellini offered more than a weather report—he delivered a compelling case for government at its best: accountable, effective, and dedicated to serving the public good.

“Public service isn’t measured by the bottom line,” he said. “It’s measured by how well we serve society with the resources entrusted to us.”

To hear the full interview with Dr. Louis Uccellini, visit www.goodgovernmentshow.com or find The Good Government Show on your favorite podcast app.