The National Weather Service (NWS) will resume translating its products for non-English speakers by the end of April.
NWS paused the translations of weather forecasts and alerts earlier this month because its contract with the provider had lapsed. Experts warned the pause would put many non-English speakers at risk of missing potentially life-saving warnings about extreme weather. Experts also stressed that general weather forecasts are just as essential for people working in tourism, transportation, and energy.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the parent agency to NWS, said in a statement: “The National Weather Service’s contract to produce common language translations has been reinstated. Translation capabilities are expected to be operational on or before the end of the day on Monday, April 28.”
According to 2019 Census data, nearly 68 million people in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home, including 42 million Spanish speakers.
Associated Press (4/24/25)
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