With fewer meteorologists and less real-time data (e.g., from weather balloons and satellites), the NWS may have missed early indicators of an extreme flash-flood event.
Many internal warnings about degraded capacity surfaced before the event, raising serious concerns.
Summary
While no one can say with 100% certainty that the cuts directly caused the tragedy, there's a strong link between reduced NOAA/NWS capacity and underestimation of this event. Experts and officials alike have cautioned that these budget decisions have eroded our ability to forecast and issue urgent warnings--particularly in fast-developing scenarios like overnight flash floods.
In various articles referenced in links above, people are blaming the camp, the news outlets blame the weather reporting, parents are talking about sueing. Will responsibility finally makes its way to the source?
Added 070625, 11:40 am EST: The Feed says it best:
"Here's what no one wants to say out loud: these deaths are a policy choice."
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