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S. 3923

Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Reauthorization Act of 2026

📅 Sep 28, 2026
Summary:
• Reauthorizes and expands the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 with specific funding authorizations for fiscal years 2026-2030, including $166,736,000 for fiscal year 2026 for weather research activities
• Establishes new programs for tornado research (VORTEX-USA), hurricane forecast improvement, tsunami warning enhancements, and commercial weather data acquisition to improve forecasting capabilities
• Creates initiatives for fire weather services, atmospheric river forecasting, coastal flooding prediction, and artificial intelligence applications in weather forecasting
Additional Details:
• Authorizes $11,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030 for the VORTEX-USA tornado research program, with at least $2,000,000 each fiscal year for grants to eligible institutions
• Establishes the Next Generation Water Observing System within the United States Geological Survey with $30,000,000 authorized for fiscal year 2026 to provide real-time water quantity and quality data
• Requires the Under Secretary to develop a 10-year strategic plan for high-performance computing and data management needs of NOAA, to be updated every 5 years until 2035
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