Where does your weather forecast come from?

NPR
9m read
Mud and debris as atmospheric rivers dumped rain in Studio City, Calif., in 2024. Forecasting heavy rain requires measurements from satellites, doppler radar, ocean buoys and other instruments, most of which are operated by the federal government.

Whether you get your forecast from an app on your phone, a website or a meteorologist on TV, most of the underlying information comes from the federal government.

(Image credit: Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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