Meteorologists have more than the weather on their radar in the wake of cuts at the island’s United States-based provider of “gold standard” climate and weather data.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a top research agency, has been roiled after hundreds of workers were fired in February, only to be reinstated this month by the Trump Administration, which has moved swiftly to slash the federal government’s probationary workforce.

Michelle Pitcher, the director of the Bermuda Weather Service, said: “So far, we have not had any international communication about a reduction in any of the services that are provided to us.”

Ms Pitcher said the mood at the BWS was down to individual personalities as forecasters eyed the changing news from the US.

“Overall, we’ll call it neutral mode,” she told The Royal Gazette. “It’s really more the individual point of view that I have noted among everybody in the weather office and their reactions to it.”

She described the office’s stance as one of “wait and see”, adding: “I try to just go with logic.”

Cutbacks in the US federal workforce under President Donald Trump have loomed large in the news from Bermuda’s closest neighbour, especially for weather forecasters.

The resources offered by the NOAA, which monitors the seas as well as the skies, “affect almost everybody around the world”, Ms Pitcher said.

She added: “That’s where we get all our satellite imagery, and measurements and data from sea buoys all around the oceans providing additional data. They have research on the land, sea and in the air.

“They provide the national numerical weather prediction models. But really with all this data, the products and information on the NOAA website, the biggest deal is it’s provided freely to the international community.”

The resources are used by everyone from mariners to providers of weather apps, and centres from AccuWeather to the Weather Channel.

For most Bermudians, the National Hurricane Centre stands as one of the most-used resources on offer from the NOAA once storms begin to circulate.

Ms Pitcher, who worked with the agency before coming to Bermuda in 2008, cautioned that an overhaul of the agency would be no easy task.

“Making them short-staffed or trying to privatise it is not something that you can just do overnight,” she said.

“The federal government funds NOAA and all its equipment and science. It’s very elaborate.

“That being said, I understand there are concerns, and absolutely so with the first round of firing people who are on probation.”

Ms Pitcher said the terminations had come with perhaps an unintended consequence beyond cutting new staff from the NOAA’s ranks.

“When you’re promoted, you’re on probation as well. So people that move to a new position and take different jobs are also on probation — it’s not just new hires.

“That’s one of the reasons why people might not have realised right away why just firing everybody on probation would be so impactful.”

The NOAA is now among a string of federal agencies where fired workers have been reinstated as of last week.

Still, Ms Pitcher added: “It’s absolutely concerning, and it’s scary not knowing what’s going to happen with the funding and what’s going to be supported.”

The US is also heavily reliant on the National Hurricane Centre to track tropical storms and hurricanes, with the Atlantic season beginning on June 1 and running to November 30.

Ms Pitcher said: “If there is no NHC, it affects the US directly — it’s a whole support system, life and death.

“While it might be pared down, there are so many things it does to protect lives and livelihoods, it’s unlikely to be shut off.”

She pointed out that North America, along with Central America and the Caribbean, is part of the World Meteorological Organisation’s Region IV, along with Bermuda, which convenes regularly.

Its four-year meeting is set to go ahead today, with the meteorological organisation’s hurricane committee meeting scheduled as usual for next week.

The BWS is also on track to send its newest forecaster to the NHC’s annual tropical workshop for training this April.

Ms Pitcher said: “All of that is business as usual — we have had no communications about any reduction in services.

“Obviously, it could change tomorrow, but as of now we have heard of no reductions in key support areas.”

She said the meeting of the hurricane committee next week could also offer a chance to learn more about any changes in the air.

“That’s the only landmark I have been waiting for, to get more insight and information or see if they know anything more.”

In the meantime, one of the BWS’s most popular resources used by residents will continue as normal: the Doppler radar system accessible online.

Ms Pitcher said: “That weather radar comes from equipment owned by the Bermuda Airport Authority.”