The Texas Floods: Warnings, Staffing Cuts, Climate Change, & How to Protect Ourselves from Extreme Weather

On the 4th of July, extreme rainfall ripped through Central Texas, causing catastrophic flash flooding, leaving 119 dead and over 160 missing, with numbers climbing. The National Weather Service (NWS), which has recently experienced staffing cuts under DOGE & the Trump Administration, came under fire from local Texas officials who criticized the insufficient warnings ahead of the extreme weather. In this episode, Craig welcomes Professor Jim Blackburn, environmental lawyer and co-director of the Severe Storm Prevention, Education and Evacuation from Disaster (SSPEED) Center at Rice University. Together, Craig and Jim discuss warnings, impact of staffing cuts, climate change, policy, and how we can protect ourselves from extreme weather.