Why a federal judge handed NCAR’s supporters a (temporary) victory in court

Scientists in Boulder at the National Center for Atmospheric Research study everything from storms to wildfires to drought. But recently, the Trump administration has worked to dismantle NCAR – and to hand over its supercomputer, a core piece of NCAR’s technology. The powerful supercomputer helps study weather and climate.  The administration wants the University of Wyoming to manage the supercomputer. It’s currently managed by a group of more than 100 universities that oversee it at NCAR’s headquarters in Boulder. Last week, a federal judge paused that transfer.  Colorado Sun reporter Michael Booth talked with In The NoCo’s Brad Turner about the judge’s reasoning, why the supercomputer was on the table and how the uncertainty around NCAR’s future has taken a serious toll on the staff.