Tornadoes Kill 26 Across 10 States Amid Weather Service Staffing Shortages

A series of severe storms including tornadoes have recently devastated areas from Arkansas to Kentucky, with at least 26 fatalities reported, including 19 in Kentucky. The National Weather Service (NWS) is struggling with staffing shortages due to budget cuts initiated under the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency, which has led to some offices closing overnight and increased workloads for meteorologists. Despite these challenges, the NWS has continued to issue timely tornado warnings, including for the deadly EF-4 tornado that struck London, Kentucky, confirming that warning systems remained operational during the storms. Staff from neighboring forecast offices assisted those in severely affected regions, such as Jackson, Kentucky, to maintain coverage during critical periods. While social media posts falsely claimed that budget cuts caused a failure in tornado warnings, investigations showed that alerts were sent in advance and sirens remained active. Meteorologists have expressed concern about sustaining effective operations amid rising tornado activity and ongoing resource constraints.