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Jim Steenburgh

@professorpowder.bsky.social
764 followers 64 following 178 posts

Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Utah; Fulbright Scholar; Author, Secrets of the Greatest Snow on Earth (book) and Wasatch Weather Weenies (blog); Posts my own.

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Jim Steenburgh @professorpowder.bsky.social · 13/05/2025
Hot, dry, dusty south wind hellscape over the Salt Lake Valley this afternoon
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Andy Revkin 🌎 ✍🏼 🪕 ☮️ revkin.substack.com @revkin.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
LIve now with @professorpowder.bsky.social on the #unidata shutdown www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gw8...
youtube.com
Death of a Thousand Cuts - Trump and Science
YouTube video by Andrew Revkin
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Dr. Jeff Masters @drjeffmasters.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
NSF-supported Unidata announced that almost their entire staff will be furloughed as of today. This is a huge threat to weather education and research at universities--Unidata provides crucial realtime data feeds of weather data, including satellite, radar, and observations.
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Jim Steenburgh @professorpowder.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
On April 30th, NSF halted funding for Unidata, an organization critical for the sharing and analysis of atmospheric and related datasets. Unidata has been and is a transformative scientific organization. For more on its history/impacts see wasatchweatherweenies.blogspot.com/2025/05/nsf-...
wasatchweatherweenies.blogspot.com
Wasatch Weather Weenies
Mountain Meteorology and Snow Snobbery
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Jim Steenburgh @professorpowder.bsky.social · 03/05/2025
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/02/w...
nytimes.com
Former Weather Service Leaders Warn Staffing Cuts Could Lead to ‘Loss of Life’ (Gift Article)
The former agency directors say current employees will face an “impossible task” to maintain service just as hurricane season begins.
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Jim Steenburgh @professorpowder.bsky.social · 01/04/2025
The latest on a new ski resort in the Oquirrhs wasatchweatherweenies.blogspot.com/2025/04/new-...
wasatchweatherweenies.blogspot.com
New Ski Resort to Open in Oquirrhs
Over the past several months I have been working with a group of investors developing a new ski resort for the Oquirrh Mountain west of Salt...
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Jim Steenburgh @professorpowder.bsky.social · 12/03/2025
New Central Wasatch Commission Dashboard. they are looking for comments. cwc.utah.gov/environmenta...
cwc.utah.gov
CWC Environmental Dashboard
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Mike Dettinger @mdettinger.bsky.social · 12/03/2025
Trump-Doge preparing to end the Keeling curve monitoring (that has tracked atmospheric CO2 since 1950). This attack on science would amount to a crime against humanity I think! www.reuters.com/sustainabili...
reuters.com
Trump cuts target world-leading greenhouse gas observatory in Hawaii
The Trump administration is considering cancelling the lease of the support office for a renowned Hawaiian climate research station, sources said, raising fears for the future of key work tracking the impact of carbon emissions on global warming.
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Jim Steenburgh @professorpowder.bsky.social · 11/03/2025
There's a big difference between academic administration and academic leadership. We seem to have a lot of the former right now and not enough of the latter.
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Jim Steenburgh @professorpowder.bsky.social · 11/03/2025
Snowfall at Salt Lake City International Airport so far this season (12.7") is the 3rd lowest on record through March 10th behind 2014/15 (9.6") and 1933/34 (12.3"). We will, however, add to these totals starting later this week.
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Gavin Schmidt @climateofgavin.bsky.social · 11/03/2025
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
nature.com
NASA begins mass firings of scientists ahead of Trump team’s deadline
Top advisers in the Office of the Chief Scientist are among the first to go amid downsizing effort.
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Jim Steenburgh @professorpowder.bsky.social · 11/03/2025
Has the University of Utah announced early retirement incentive packages to deal with the budget cuts? Asking for a friend...
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Save NOAA @savenoaa.bsky.social · 10/03/2025
"Eliminating jobs in this vital and necessary agency threatens the health of our waterways, lakes and oceans, which we rely on for food, commerce and recreation.” - Al Roker #SaveNOAA
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The Salt Lake Tribune @sltrib.com · 09/03/2025
The University of Utah ski team is back on top.
sltrib.com
Utah skiers are No. 1 — again
The University of Utah ski team is back on top.
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Jim Steenburgh @professorpowder.bsky.social · 08/03/2025
www.cachevalleydaily.com/news/usu-ann...
cachevalleydaily.com
USU announces $17.3 million in budget cuts, which includes voluntary buyouts, possible layoffs
LOGAN — Utah State University announced budget cuts to employees on Friday, which will begin with voluntary buyouts, operational cuts, and could lead to possible layoffs.
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Jim Steenburgh @professorpowder.bsky.social · 07/03/2025
Sad. "Besides the direct impact of radiosondes on weather forecasts, they also have an indirect effect as a result of being used as reference data – helping to bias-correct satellite sounding and aircraft temperature data, especially in the troposphere." - ECMWF
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Jim Steenburgh @professorpowder.bsky.social · 07/03/2025
Low population, but our biggest state with major weather impacts from the fishing to snow-safety communities alaskapublic.org/news/politic...
alaskapublic.org
National Weather Service loses 10% of Alaska staff, hampering forecasting around the world
Between resignations, firings and paperwork errors, at least 23 of the roughly 200 people in the Weather Service's Alaska offices are no longer with the agency, a union source said.
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Jim Steenburgh @professorpowder.bsky.social · 06/03/2025
"Two of the probationary employees who had been on the job for less than two years were flight director...This is particularly problematic since every hurricane hunter mission is required to carry a flight director." yaleclimateconnections.org/2025/03/noaa...
yaleclimateconnections.org
NOAA Hurricane Hunter layoffs threaten to degrade hurricane forecasts » Yale Climate Connections
A gap in flight director staffing could keep the planes earthbound at crucial times.
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Save NOAA @savenoaa.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
@noaa.gov provides lifesaving science, service and stewardship to the nation. #SaveNOAA is a group of terminated NOAA employees fighting for reinstatement to continue to deliver Americans these critical services. #SaveNOAA #NOAAStrong #NOAA #Science #Fed #FedEmployees #Federal #Layoffs
On a white background, the traditional NOAA logo reads "Save NOAA."
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Jim Steenburgh @professorpowder.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
The included Bennett Building also includes the offices for National Weather Service Western Region Headquarters, including key scientific and technology support personnel www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
sltrib.com
Trump administration says these three federal buildings are ‘designated for disposal’ in Utah
President Donald Trump's administration has listed three federal buildings in Utah as "designated for disposal."
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Jim Steenburgh @professorpowder.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
www.sltrib.com/news/educati...
sltrib.com
Everything we know about Utah’s massive higher education cut and ‘reinvestment’ bill, which passed its final hurdle
A major bill that directs how the state’s public colleges and universities can try to earn back $60 million in funding that lawmakers cut from their budgets passed through the Senate. Here’s how it af...
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Mike Dettinger @mdettinger.bsky.social · 03/03/2025
@agu.org is offering resources to scientists un-jobbed in the past few weeks. Free membership, abstract fees, and career guidance and connections. It’s a start. go.agu.org/index.php/em...
go.agu.org
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Jim Steenburgh @professorpowder.bsky.social · 03/03/2025
Just released statement from the American Meteorological Society urging strong support of NOAA and federal science agencies for the continued success of the weather enterprise and American people.
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Elizabeth Leitman @wxliz.bsky.social · 01/03/2025
That little black spec on the right hand side of this infographic is the total budget of the NWS. How is eliminating positions that exponentially increase economic dividends through enhancing commerce and mitigating/preventing disasters saving money or eliminating waste/fraud?
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Kelly Hereid @kellyhereid.bsky.social · 01/03/2025
Do you know how valuable meteorologists are to wildfire response? Fire chiefs sure do.
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Marshall Shepherd @drshepherd2013.bsky.social · 01/03/2025
---Why do we need potato farmers when I can get my fries at McDonald's? I deal with that logic when it comes to weather forecasts, Apps and the layoffs at the National Weather Service. www.forbes.com/sites/marsha...
forbes.com
5 Essential Things To Know About Your Weather Forecasts
With recent cuts at the National Weather Service and NOAA, here are five things to know about your weather forecasts.
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Jim Steenburgh @professorpowder.bsky.social · 28/02/2025
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Jim Steenburgh @professorpowder.bsky.social · 28/02/2025
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
nature.com
US universities curtail PhD admissions amid Trump science funding cuts
Nature talks to prospective students left in limbo as some institutes withdraw offers and put applications on hold.
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Jim Steenburgh @professorpowder.bsky.social · 28/02/2025
👇
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Jim Steenburgh @professorpowder.bsky.social · 28/02/2025
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Jim Steenburgh @professorpowder.bsky.social · 28/02/2025
Today's cuts to NOAA and NWS staff will weaken emergency response and ultimately cost lives as we enter severe weather, hurricane, and wildfire season. The talented and dedicated meteorologists working to advance our Nation's ability to forecast and prepare for high-impact weather deserve better.
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ECMWF @ecmwf.int · 25/02/2025
We have taken our Artificial Intelligence Forecasting System (AIFS) into operations today to run side by side with our physics-based weather forecasts. The #AIFS outperforms traditional models for many measures, at a fraction of energy use. ➡️ www.ecmwf.int/en/about/med... #AI #MachineLearning
Background of world map with grid overlaid. Text: "AIFS operational"
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Jim Steenburgh @professorpowder.bsky.social · 25/02/2025
This 💯.
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Jim Steenburgh @professorpowder.bsky.social · 24/02/2025
Currently 62F @utah.edu
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Dr. Jessica Ball 🍪 @tuffcookie.bsky.social · 23/02/2025
Dear manager, last week I: 1. Got up early 2. Stayed up late 3. Exhibited uninterrupted prosperity 4. Used a machete to cut through red tape 5. Toured the facility and picked up slack 🎵👩🏼‍🔬👗🧥🎵
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Carl T. Bergstrom @carlbergstrom.com · 22/02/2025
Any talk you hear from the current administration about making the US more competitive in science and technology is utter bullshit. What they are doing is sabotaging our country for years if not decades to come.
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American Meteorological Society @ametsoc.org · 21/02/2025
The AMS is temporarily opening its career services to all who need them, regardless of membership status, and offering dues waivers and meeting registration fee reductions for those impacted by job loss due to changes in the government. Read more: bit.ly/4gRiHAk
The official AMS logo.
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The Salt Lake Tribune @sltrib.com · 20/02/2025
Utah faculty members lined up Wednesday at the Capitol to oppose a bill they fear could threaten the liberal arts. One pointed to Albert Einstein’s love of the violin as an example that science can benefit from art and music.
sltrib.com
Utah faculty speak out against higher education bill they fear could threaten liberal arts
Utah faculty members lined up Wednesday at the Capitol to oppose a bill they fear could threaten the liberal arts. One pointed to Albert Einstein’s love of the violin as an example that science can benefit from art and music.
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AGU (American Geophysical Union) @agu.org · 19/02/2025
Federal science agencies are under threat. AGU has made it easy to advocate for NSF, NOAA, NASA and more. Visit AGU’s Science Policy Action Center to stand up for science. fromtheprow.agu.org/standing-tog...
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Amy McGovern @profamymcgovern.bsky.social · 19/02/2025
NSF cuts jeopardize US leadership in science in general! This focuses on computing but it is not good for any area of science
cra.org
Cuts to NSF and CISE Directorate Jeopardize American Leadership in Computing
A statement from the Computing Research Association (CRA) The reported termination today of 10 percent of the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) workforce — including significant cuts to the Compu…
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Jim Steenburgh @professorpowder.bsky.social · 18/02/2025
With 9.2" so far, this season has produced the 2nd lowest amount of snowfall on record through Feb 17 in the Salt Lake City area per records from the National Weather Service (Record 2014/15 6.8").
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Cameron Homeyer @atmoscientist.bsky.social · 18/02/2025
The OU School of Meteorology has another open faculty hire - this time for a teaching position! We're looking for someone with unique experience in one of several areas: apply.interfolio.com/163576. Please share!
apply.interfolio.com
Apply - Interfolio {{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio
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Marshall Shepherd @drshepherd2013.bsky.social · 16/02/2025
nwas.org/nwa-statemen...
nwas.org
NWA Statement from the NWA - National Weather Association
A Statement From the NWA The National Weather Association (NWA) has worked diligently and constructively for 50 years to connect, support, and advocate for those who provide valuable, life-saving serv...
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AGU (American Geophysical Union) @agu.org · 14/02/2025
AGU stands with federal scientists. Read more on fromtheprow.agu.org/standing-tog...
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Climatologist49 @climatologist49.bsky.social · 14/02/2025
Devastating. Hard to overstate how bad this FIRST STEP is. Here in Alaska, there is an outsized proportion of federal workers in their probationary period. Alaska is often the first stop in a career in federal service and typically has a large fraction of probationary workers.
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Jim Steenburgh @professorpowder.bsky.social · 14/02/2025
Shrinking the National Weather Service staff with no real plan as tornado, hurricane, and fire seasons approach unnecessarily puts public safety at risk
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Jim Steenburgh @professorpowder.bsky.social · 13/02/2025
Your National Weather Service providing critical 24/7 public safety information for Utah from urban to rural areas. How much does this cost? For the US, the NWS budget is about $1.3 billion per year, or about $4 per person. They aren't on bluesky so reproducing their tweet below.
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Jim Steenburgh @professorpowder.bsky.social · 13/02/2025
Red sky at morning, avalanche forecasters take warning
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