The Medford office is temporarily suspending evening weather balloon launches because low staffing levels are affecting launch safety.

Medford and other local offices were already facing staffing shortages, but the Trump Administration’s efforts to downsize the federal workforce have made the issue more serious.

Weather balloons are typically launched twice a day from 100 stations across the country. They fly up to 100,000 feet high, gathering critical data about the upper atmosphere used in weather forecasting.

The radiosonde, a small instrument dangling from the balloon, gathers and transmits the data back to the ground. This method of gathering upper-air weather data has been used since the 1930s, according to the weather service..

Fewer launches mean less data, which could mean less accurate forecasts. The Medford office covers all of southwest Oregon and part of Northern California.

Representatives from the weather service declined to be interviewed. In a statement, the agency said special launches will still occur in response to unusual or severe weather events.

“To mitigate potential impacts, the NWS is actively pursuing alternative sources of upper-air data and adjusting internal staffing and procedures to maintain continuity of service,” the statement reads.

There’s currently no timeline on when weather balloon launches will return to normal.

Roman Battaglia is a reporter with Jefferson Public Radio. This story comes to you from the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington.

It is part of OPB’s broader effort to ensure that everyone in our region has access to quality journalism that informs, entertains and enriches their lives. To learn more, visit our journalism partnerships page.

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2025/04/18/weather-balloon-launch-suspensions-could-lead-to-less-accurate-forecasts-from-medford/