The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration houses key groups like the National Weather Service. Experts warn the consequences of employee cuts could be drastic.

Former NOAA officials warned that jobs cuts undermine critical weather forecasting and basic science that companies and communities rely on.

The cuts could affect more than 10% of the employees at the agency, according to two sources with internal knowledge of the agency.

The terminations come days before a potential severe weather outbreak early next week in the southeast United States — and just months ahead of the next Atlantic hurricane season.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) began the process of firing hundreds of probationary workers Thursday, the latest mass job cuts within federal agencies, three sources

Hundreds of weather forecasters and other federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration employees on probationary status were fired

Hundreds of weather forecasters and other federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration employees on probationary status have been fired, lawmakers and weather experts say

Hundreds of scientists and experts have been fired from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a leading US agency responsible for weather forecasting, climate analysis, marine conservation and more,

The Commerce Department has begun laying off potentially hundreds of NOAA employees, many with specialized skills who work at one of the world's top climate science and weather forecasting agencies. Why it matters: The National Oceanics and Atmospherics Administration is responsible for providing weather watches and warnings,