Data from SSMIS, used for hurricane forecasting, will continue flowing: John Morales

Crucial satellite data will keep flowing this hurricane season.

I was happy to break the news on Tuesday morning that the Department of Defense (DoD) had announced to officials at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that the Special Sensor Microwave Image Sounder (SSMIS) data would continue to be distributed beyond the cutoff date of this Thursday, July 31.

Back in the spring, DoD cited cybersecurity concerns as the reason why SSMIS data would stop flowing on June 30. Scientists, and especially hurricane forecasters, were left stunned. Many readers will recall that I wasn’t shy about asking questions, and did so quite publicly.

Thankfully, DoD announced a brief reprieve, delaying the cutoff for the data until the end of this month. Colleagues in the field continued to raise the alarm, particularly in a press briefing streamed on YouTube that included an all-star lineup of tropical meteorologists.

Then this Monday evening, I was reminded of the high quality of the SSMIS-derived imagery when looking at pictures of Hurricane Erick in the eastern Pacific. The SSMIS image was detailed and crisp, while an image from one of the sensors that would’ve remained after Thursday was pixel-y and fuzzy. HD versus SD.

And I was reminded of a weeks-old quote from a NOAA spokesperson stating that, in the wake of the loss of SSMIS, the agency would still have access to “the richest, most accurate satellite weather observations available.” So, I tweeted.

I stand for NOAA. But I can’t stand being gaslighted by current comms staff (yes—just ‘doing their job’ and afraid of repercussions). They describe what will remain after SSMIS data ends as “the richest most accurate satellite weather observations available” (pics @MichaelRLowry) pic.twitter.com/anKPyjETYU

— John Morales (@JohnMoralesTV) July 28, 2025

I know this post had nothing to do with DoD’s decision. But I know for a fact it was read at NOAA. Therefore, when it was time to break the good news that the SSMIS data would keep flowing, I was the first one to be contacted.

As I explained on this digital platform a few weeks ago, the SSMIS instruments, which fly aboard three weather satellites operated by NOAA together with DoD, provide critical information that regular weather satellites can’t. Thanks to its microwave sensors, SSMIS can “see” right through clouds. This is especially important at night, when normal infrared sensors paint a less detailed picture of tropical storms and hurricanes.

The ability to peer under the clouds of a developing tropical cyclone is critically important for hurricane specialists, including those at the National Hurricane Center (NHC). With two-thirds of all Atlantic basin storms out of reach for aircraft reconnaissance, SSMIS does yeoman’s work in monitoring storms in real time. While there are other microwave weather sensors in orbit, starting Thursday the loss of SSMIS would have brought a greater than 50% reduction in data scans.

Instead, now and for the foreseeable future, the availability of SSMIS imagery will help to accurately monitor the intensity and track of hurricanes, especially at night or if hurricane hunters are not flying, which is still a very distinct possibility for this 2025 season.

NOAA’s branch in charge of reconnaissance flights is down 40 to 50 percent of the staff, according to Dr. Robert Atlas, Director Emeritus of NOAA’s Atmospheric and Oceanographic Marine Laboratory in Miami. Whether it’s because of a missing maintenance technician or a flight meteorologist director, I fear NOAA hurricane hunter missions will be cancelled or simply not scheduled.

For what it’s worth, it appears public pressure played a role in DoD’s choice to keep SSMIS data available to hurricane forecasters in a year when it is most needed. According to meteorologist Michael Lowry, “a Navy spokesperson credited feedback it received about the Department of Defense’s move to sunset the satellites early for their eleventh-hour decision to keep the data flowing.”

Sometimes—not often enough these days—our voices matter. I try to fight the good fight. You should too.