Via the Washington Post:
“It has been a very difficult time for everyone,” said Dennis Feltgen, a spokesman and meteorologist at the center. “The staff is ready to move forward. We are building very quickly to the height of the season.”
In January, Proenza took on the role of the nation’s chief hurricane forecaster, the bully pulpit of meteorology. He quickly created controversy by criticizing NOAA spending priorities, arguing that more money should be spent for hurricane detection.
He targeted, among other things, the agency’s anniversary celebration, for which he said the agency would spend $4 million.
The article also mentions that a nontrivial portion of the staff were concerned that the extent to which Proenza was arguing to replace the aging QuickSCAT satellite was stressing out the staff and raising concerns about the credibility of their forecasting…not to mention perhaps being overenthusiastic in stressing the importance of the satellite.
It’s a shame to see those folks’ dirty laundry being aired in public. I’ve got to respect Proenza for daring to ring the bell, presumably seeking to do whatever it takes to get his staff what it desired, when so much of the current administration seems to be lost in its own little never-never land.
I’ve also got to respect the staff if what they did really was ask for ending a distraction, so they could focus on their jobs during this hurricane season.