The Protecting Coasts and Cities from Severe Weather Act would create a Coastal Flooding and Storm Surge Forecast Improvement Program within the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere to boost observations, understanding, and forecasting of coastal flooding and storm surge events. It directs priority actions to improve real-time prediction, support mitigation and planning, incorporate new observation methods, and develop probabilistic forecasts to accompany worst-case estimates.
The bill also focuses on addressing weather observation gaps in highly vulnerable areas through a data-void framework and interagency collaboration, with a plan due within 180 days and ongoing budget submissions to Congress.
Together, these provisions aim to reduce loss of life and property by enhancing forecasts, warnings, and decision-support tools for federal, state, and local responders, as well as the communities and critical infrastructure that rely on timely coastal information. The act emphasizes innovation—sensor networks, machine learning, and improved regional models—while ensuring a path for implementation through planning, resources, and interagency partnerships.
At a Glance
What It Does
Establishes a Coastal Flooding and Storm Surge Forecast Improvement Program under the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, to improve forecasts, warnings, and decision support. It prioritizes real-time ocean involvement in coastal flooding, probabilistic forecasting, and incorporation of new observations and sensor data.
Who It Affects
NOAA, the weather industry, academic partners, and regional emergency managers, plus coastal communities, tribal governments, and local infrastructure operators who rely on enhanced forecasts for risk management and response.
Why It Matters
Creates a structured, funded pathway to close observation gaps, improve probabilistic forecasts, and translate data into actionable guidance for communities and responders facing coastal flooding and storm surge risk.
More articles like this one.
A weekly email with all the latest developments on this topic.
What This Bill Actually Does
The bill would stand up a formal program within NOAA to tackle coastal flooding and storm surge forecasting. Section 2 drives a set of priorities: deepen real-time understanding of how the ocean drives coastal flooding, strengthen mitigation and adaptation capabilities, integrate data from distributed sensors into forecast models, and produce probabilistic estimates alongside traditional worst-case scenarios.
It also pushes for better regional storm surge and wave models, with collaboration from the USGS to improve guidance.
A key feature is the Innovative Observations and Modeling clause, which requires exploration of advanced model physics, hybrid prediction systems, and new observation methods, including sensors on aircraft, ships, satellites, and urban networks. The program must be accompanied by a concrete plan within 180 days, detailing research activities, data acquisition, and timelines, followed by annual budget submissions to Congress to fund the plan’s execution.Section 3 shifts focus to “data voids” in highly vulnerable regions, directing interagency efforts with NWS and FEMA to identify under-observed areas, expand observations (including urban heat island mapping), and test decision-support tools at emergency centers.
It also calls for pilot projects that accelerate the use of localized weather data in infrastructure and emergency decisions, with at least one pilot addressing mesonet data and training for critical infrastructure operators, such as dams, power facilities, and transportation networks.
The Five Things You Need to Know
Establish the Coastal Flooding and Storm Surge Forecast Improvement Program within the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere.
Priorities include real-time prediction of the ocean’s role in coastal flooding, mitigation/adaptation, sensor data integration, probabilistic forecasting, and skill metrics.
A plan for the program must be developed within 180 days, followed by annual budget submissions to Congress.
The bill directs actions to identify and close weather observation data voids in highly vulnerable areas and to develop decision-support tools and testbeds.
At least one pilot project will use mesonet data to support local infrastructure decision-making in coordination with NWS and FEMA.
Section-by-Section Breakdown
Every bill we cover gets an analysis of its key sections.
Establish Coastal Flooding Forecast Improvement Program
The Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere shall establish a dedicated program to improve coastal flooding and storm surge forecasting. This provides the organizing framework for the bill’s activities, partnerships, and resources dedicated to forecast improvement and related decision-support tools.
Program Goal
The program’s overarching goal is to reduce loss of life and property from coastal flooding and storm surge by delivering accurate, actionable, timely forecasts and warnings that enable better decision-making by emergency managers, planners, and communities.
Program Priorities
The priorities include (1) advancing real-time understanding of the ocean’s impact on coastal flooding; (2) enhancing mitigation and adaptation through better forecasts and forecast-informed planning; (3) incorporating in situ distributed sensors into models; (4) developing probabilistic estimates to supplement worst-case scenarios; (5) creating skill metrics to quantify benefits from modeling and data improvements; (6) improving regional storm surge and wave models with USGS collaboration to bolster probabilistic guidance.
Innovative Observations and Modeling
The program must evaluate enhanced model physics, hybrid dynamical or ML-based prediction systems, and novel observations (sensors, crewed/uncrewed platforms, hosted instruments) for improving coastal flood forecasts, predictions, and warnings. This section formalizes an iterative testing approach to integrate new data streams into forecast workflows.
Program Plan
Within 180 days, the Under Secretary shall develop a plan detailing research, development, data acquisition, and technology transfer activities, plus corresponding resources and timelines necessary to achieve the program’s goal.
Annual Budget and Reporting
After plan development, the Under Secretary must submit, at least annually, a proposed budget to Congress aligned with the activities in the plan to sustain the program’s progress and accountability.
Data Voids in Vulnerable Areas—Identification
In coordination with the Director of the NWS and the Administrator of FEMA, the bill directs identification of regions under-observed or highly vulnerable to weather impacts, along with challenges that contribute to limited operations in those areas.
Interagency Pilot Projects Partnership
An interagency partnership (NWS and FEMA) must support pilot projects that accelerate use of localized weather data in infrastructure and emergency decisions by federal, state, and local officials, including data sharing and coordination.
Mesonet and Infrastructure Focus Pilot
At least one pilot project must address key science challenges in using mesonet data for local decision making and for developing tools and training for owners and operators of critical infrastructure (e.g., dams, energy facilities, nuclear plants, transportation networks).
This bill is one of many.
Codify tracks hundreds of bills on Environment across all five countries.
Explore Environment in Codify Search →Who Benefits and Who Bears the Cost
Every bill creates winners and losers. Here's who stands to gain and who bears the cost.
Who Benefits
- Coastal communities in flood-prone regions gain access to improved forecasts, warnings, and decision-support tools.
- State and local emergency management agencies benefit from real-time data and localized guidance for response planning.
- FEMA and federal partners gain better coordination and standardized information for disaster readiness and relief operations.
- NOAA and private sector weather companies receive advanced data and modeling capabilities to improve forecast products.
- Academic researchers and universities gain access to enhanced data streams and collaborative opportunities to advance forecasting science.
- Critical infrastructure operators (dams, power grids, transportation networks) receive training and tools to inform maintenance and emergency planning.
Who Bears the Cost
- Federal agencies (NOAA, FEMA) incur implementation and program-management costs.
- States and localities may bear costs for adopting new decision-support tools and integrating enhanced forecasts into operations.
- Private sector weather data providers and sensor networks may need to invest in new data-sharing capabilities and infrastructure.
- Academic institutions may bear expenses related to research pilots and data access.
- Critical infrastructure operators could incur costs to align operations with forecast-driven guidance and training.
Key Issues
The Core Tension
Balancing broad national forecast improvements with targeted, place-based investments and the governance/costs that accompany rapid deployment of new observations and tools.
The bill contemplates substantial expansion of weather observation networks and modeling capabilities, which entails coordination across multiple federal agencies, academia, and the private sector. Because the plan relies on ongoing data collection, integration, and testing, there are implementation risks, including potential overlaps with existing regional programs and the need for clear data governance and funding commitments.
The success of pilots and data-void projects will depend on sustained funding, interoperability of data formats, and alignment with local decision-making processes. The act also raises questions about equity: how to ensure that under-observed regions receive commensurate attention and resources, and how to measure whether forecast improvements translate into meaningful outcomes for vulnerable communities.
coreTension: The central dilemma is balancing nationwide improvements in coastal forecasting with targeted, place-based investments that require rapid coordination and substantial upfront costs. The bill seeks to modernize forecasts through new sensors, advanced modeling, and data sharing, but doing so raises governance, funding, and equity questions that must be resolved as the program evolves.
Try it yourself.
Ask a question in plain English, or pick a topic below. Results in seconds.