This bill directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to improve forecasting for atmospheric rivers—weather systems that bring heavy precipitation—and strengthen water management prediction in the western United States. The legislation establishes two main initiatives: a pilot project within NOAA's weather research program focused on advancing subseasonal-to-seasonal precipitation forecasts for western water management, and a comprehensive atmospheric river forecast improvement program that will develop better models, data systems, and communication tools for predicting these dangerous storms nationwide. The bill authorizes $15 million annually from fiscal years 2026 through 2030 for the pilot projects and requires NOAA to develop a detailed implementation plan within nine months and submit annual budgets to Congress. The pilot project authority expires after five years, while the broader atmospheric river program is open-ended and will involve partnerships with universities, the Air Force's weather reconnaissance squadron, and the weather industry to reduce deaths, property damage, and economic losses from atmospheric river events.
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