National Weather Service

A spending package signed by Pres. Donald Trump will fund several programs at the National Weather Center in Norman that were once at risk of shuttering.

Drought conditions across Texas have intensified since earlier this year.

Summer afternoon temperatures have cooled off in the middle of the country in recent decades. But hotter nights and winters are still driving more overall warmth in the region.

The news comes after some at the National Weather Center in Norman were laid off or took early retirement options this year.

A crisis communication expert says everyday notifications are weakening the impact of life-saving emergency alerts.

On Friday, he and other Democratic members of Congress sent letters to the Federal Emergency Management Agency requesting details into the reported delay in providing flood response.

As searchers continue to look for victims in the deadly flash flooding in Texas, officials are answering questions about the weather forecasts ahead of and during the storm.

"The very discussion about reducing our investment in our scientific research and our weather forecasting causes me to have stomach cramps," Rep. Frank Lucas said.

Norman is a nexus of national weather and climate science. But swift layoffs and deep budget cuts could disband it and other organizations nationwide.

The closure of four of the six Regional Climate Centers across the U.S. occurred after funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ran out. A recent report stated that the Trump administration plans to propose a 25% cut to NOAA's budget next fiscal year.