Kansas senator addresses National Weather Service concerns after tornado [View all]

Source: Scripps News

Posted 3:16 PM, Apr 18, 2026


A tornado destroyed about a dozen campers Monday at a Hillsdale, Kansas, RV campground, prompting discussions about National Weather Service warnings and potential staffing cuts.

Aaron Bien runs Shady Acres, a long-term RV campground in Hillsdale. He said everyone made it into the storm shelter and credited the local sirens for helping prevent serious injuries. "We had plenty of warning. We had about 10 minutes of the sirens going off," Bien said.

While the National Weather Service issued timely warnings before the tornado, the agency usually flags the possibility of severe activity even sooner. Residents felt like they weren't properly notified about the possibility of tornadoes earlier in the day.

Retired meteorologists shared concerns with NBC News. They wonder if possible staffing cuts from President Donald Trump's DOGE initiative impacted when offices release weather balloons that can help develop forecasts. U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, a Kansas Republican, toured Hillsdale on Friday.

Read more: https://www.scrippsnews.com/weather/kansas-senator-addresses-national-weather-service-concerns-after-tornado