Two major climate disasters of 2025 — the Texas flooding that killed more than 100 people and the L.A. wildfires in January that resulted in 30 deaths and wiped out more than 15,000 homes and businesses — highlight the struggles officials face in fully preparing for extreme weather conditions.

As a succession of thunderstorms fed by the remnants of Tropical Storm Barry pummeled Texas' Hill Country, tools used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to detect extreme rainfall began “maxing out the color charts.

In the five months since Trump chose Neil Jacobs as NOAA administrator, hundreds of NOAA scientists and meteorologists have left the agency through a combination of firings, buyouts and retirements.

Just weeks ago, President Donald Trump said he wanted to begin “phasing out” the Federal Emergency Management Agency after this hurricane season to “wean off of FEMA” and “bring it down to the state level.

President Trump said he would visit Texas on July 11 as the state reels after more than 100 people have been confirmed dead in devastating flooding.