On April 21, 2025, websites for U.S. regional climate centers went dark due to a funding delay within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), preventing access to crucial climate data for scientists, state policymakers, farmers, and others.
The centers were established in 1983 to translate climate measurements into user-friendly applications, including decisions related to things like agriculture and emergency response. The centers’ websites went dark after payments for data and services contracts, which expired on April 16, 2025, were not approved.
The disruption is attributed to a paperwork bottleneck rather than a policy change, following the implementation of a new policy requiring personal approval for all contracts over $100,000 by Commerce Department Secretary Howard Lutnick.
Update: On April 21, 2025, the websites for the regional climate centers came back online after center directors received a letter authorizing them to proceed with payments.