Extreme Weather Alerts in Jeopardy
The National Weather Service has stopped providing language translations of its products, which could put non-English speakers at risk of missing life-saving warnings about extreme weather. This change comes after the contract with the translation provider, Lilt, an artificial intelligence company, has lapsed.
The Importance of Translations
Nearly 68 million people in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home, including 42 million Spanish speakers. Not being able to read urgent weather alerts could be a matter of life or death. Joseph Trujillo-Falcón, a researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, said that translated weather alerts saved lives during a deadly tornado outbreak in Kentucky in 2021. A Spanish-speaking family ignored a tornado alert in English but quickly sought shelter when they received the same alert in Spanish.
The Impact on Different Communities
The lack of translations will not only affect extreme weather events but also general weather forecasts, which are essential for various sectors such as tourism, transportation, and energy. Families and businesses rely on weather information to make informed decisions. Norma Mendoza-Denton, a professor of anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles, noted that many people in the U.S. function with limited English, especially when it comes to technical terms like weather and climate terminologies.
The Previous Translation System
Before Lilt took over, forecasters who spoke multiple languages were responsible for translating weather alerts, a task that could be overwhelming on top of their forecasting duties. The National Weather Service had said that manual translations were labor-intensive and not sustainable, which led to the contract with Lilt. The company provided translations in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French, and Samoan.
The Reason Behind the Contract Lapse
The contract lapse comes as President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking to slash spending in federal agencies, including cuts within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). These cuts have led to high employee vacancy rates at NWS offices. The National Weather Service declined to comment on the contract lapse, and Lilt did not respond to requests for comment.
Conclusion
The lack of language translations for extreme weather alerts is a serious concern that could have devastating consequences for non-English speakers. It is crucial that the National Weather Service finds a solution to this problem to ensure that everyone, regardless of their language, has access to life-saving weather information. The importance of translations cannot be overstated, and it is essential that the government prioritizes the safety and well-being of all its citizens, including those who speak languages other than English.
