AccuWeather forecasters are keeping an eye on an area close to Florida which shows some potential for tropical development July 15-18.

On Wednesday, some of the nation’s top hurricane scientists joined House Democrats for a virtual press conference to sound the alarm on proposed budget cuts that would severely degrade hurricane monitoring and forecasting.

The Department of Defense's announcement that it would end a weather-data sharing program surprised some climate watchdogs but forecasters assure it does not heighten risks.

But that endurance may be different this summer, as unusually warm oceans are a catalyst in the recipe for more frequent cyclones. NOAA’s predictive models suggest there could be upwards of 19 tropical storms and 10 hurricanes, with up to five of them being category three or higher.

In response to concerns, NOAA's National Weather Service (NWS) said it is actively working to address staffing shortages.

The Trump administration's budget plan for 2026 would eliminate the lab that developed a key flash flooding tool.

President Donald Trump nominated Neil Jacobs Jr. to lead the NOAA. His Senate confirmation hearing focused on the deaths of more than 100 people in storms across the country.

Questions are mounting about the gaps in communication regarding the deadly flooding in Texas. NBC News' Priscilla Thompson reports more from Kerrville, Texas. Former NOAA Chief Scientist Craig McLean joins Ana Cabrera to share his insights and expertise on disaster response.