The National Weather Service (NWS) is on heightened alert after recent threats from an Arizona militia-style group that believes the agency’s Doppler radar systems are being used as “weather weapons.”
Initial reports indicate the group, identified by CNN as Veterans on Patrol, has targeted radar facilities operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The group reportedly sent threats, calling the radar network a weapon and encouraging attacks on weather sites.
“They are the number one tool in our toolbox,” said Herb Simmons, director of St. Clair County Emergency Management.
Simmons emphasized the critical role Doppler radar plays in severe weather forecasting and emergency response. The NWS data reaches nearly 4 million people in the St. Louis region alone.
“Our storms seem to be coming more frequently. We are seeing more severe storms,” Simmons said. “One of the reasons we haven’t had the loss of life or injuries is because I think the National Weather Service is giving us the ability to warn people quicker.”
Threats and warnings
CNN reports that NOAA officials have received internal warnings about the group advocating for “penetration drills” to identify weaknesses at radar sites, with the goal of ultimately destroying them.
The Southern Poverty Law Center classifies Veterans on Patrol as an anti-government militia.
According to the SPLC website, “Veterans on Patrol (VOP) is an antigovernment militia located in Pima County, Arizona. The founder, Michael “Lewis Arthur” Meyer, is a Christian nationalist who rallies hard-right extremists and conspiracy theorists around the issue of immigration and encourages vigilantism.”
“Without their monitoring, without their prediction, it will create problems for these communities when storms decide to raise their ugly heads,” Simmons said.
When asked about the risks to meteorologists and the public, Simmons didn’t mince words.
“It’s someone trying to incite violence for some strange reason, and it would be terrible,” he said. “Hopefully, whoever it is either comes to their senses or is met with the swift arm of the law — because I’ll tell you, it could have bad consequences.”
Staffing concerns and budget cuts
Since Jan. 1, more than 550 employees have left the National Weather Service — a 10% drop in staffing just as the U.S. approaches hurricane season. Meanwhile, CBS reports that the White House plans to cut NOAA’s budget by nearly 30%.