National Weather Service Will No Longer Translate Weather Alerts for Non-English Speakers

The National Weather Service has halted its automated translation services for weather alerts until further notice. This will likely impact the accessibility of weather alerts for non-English speakers locally.

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The change, which was announced last week, is “due to a contract lapse,” weather service spokesperson Michael Musher confirmed in a statement to USA TODAY without elaborating further.

Language translation software firm Lilt has provided artificial intelligence to translate weather service alerts for over a year. {snip}

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The pause in translation services comes after the Trump administration declared English the official language of the U.S. last month for the first time in the nation’s history.

President Donald Trump passed the executive order designating one official language to “promote unity, cultivate a shared American culture for all citizens, ensure consistency in government operations, and create a pathway to civic engagement,” according to the White House.

The order rescinds a mandate former President Bill Clinton passed in 2000 requiring federal agencies and all recipients of federal funding to provide non-English speakers with access to language assistance. Since returning to office in January, Trump has led a hefty crack down on illegal immigration that has long brought people from many countries speaking languages other than English.

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While English continues to be the most spoken language in the nation, a 2019 U.S. Census Bureau report found 67.8 million others spoke a non-English language at home, a nearly 94% increase from 1980.

Spanish was the second most spoken language at home in 2019, according to the census report, with more than 41,000 speakers.

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