The planned discontinuation of information of satellite data on weather patterns has now been delayed at least a month.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said on Monday that its plans to stop providing microwave data of the Earth from three satellites it operates jointly with the US Department of Defense is suspended until July 31st.

The shutdown of the satellite feeds was scheduled for Monday, June 30th.

The satellite data, part of the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, is relayed from NOAA to meteorologists who've said they count on it for needed information in forecasting weather, and those forecasters have been publicly alarmed by the possible loss of data.

Last week, NOAA explained that it plans to shut down the data because it contributes to a significant "cybersecurity risk," although the agency has not yet provided details of that assessment, according to the Associated Press.

Some forecasters said their work will be hobbled by the discontinuation of data, a critical situation for them since the 2025 hurricane season is just ramping up to its peak months of August and September.

In a statement Friday, NOAA said the satellite program in question provides just one set of data "in a robust suite of hurricane forecasting and modeling tools” used by the National Weather Service and the National Hurricane Center, which are components of NOAA.

The left-leaning Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) told the AP last week that discontinuation of the feed would have detrimental effects on accurate prediction of hurricanes this season but would also affect its ability to monitor the effects of climate change, which it links, without evidence, to a grander scheme by the Trump administration to hinder information on global climate emergencies.

On its website, the UCS claims "Trump and his anti-science allies are already working with corporate polluters to intimidate scientists and sideline science, putting our communities and planet at risk. We must act swiftly to counter political attacks on government scientists, stop the suppression of research, block dangerous science agency nominations, and stop other Project 2025 threats."

Michael Berry