The president-elect of the American Meteorological Society compares the situation to bolts in a steel office building, warning: “Nobody can say how many bolts you can leave out or remove before the structural integrity is compromised.

Weather balloon operations will stop or be reduced at 11 locations across the country due to staffing shortages caused by recent NOAA layoffs.

The reduction of launches at six stations is the latest in a growing string of balloon cancellations as the agency adapts to a shrinking staff.