The Weather Forecasting Improvement Act of 2013 (H.R. 2413) was passed in December by the House Science, Space and Technology Committee. The bipartisan forecasting bill makes weather-related activities that concern public safety and the economy a top priority for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The bill aims to better align weather modeling, prediction, and forecasting at NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research. The bill prioritizes efforts to extend and improve lead time for tornadoes and hurricanes. Language and information for the bill was provided by the weather community, including University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), the American Meteorological Society, the Weather Coalition, and the National Academy of Sciences. The bill is in response to recent billion-dollar weather events, including Superstorm Sandy and a number of destructive tornadoes. The bill awaits House and Senate approval.

Sources: UCAR, GovTrack