TORNADO Act

The bill would direct the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere (who oversees NOAA) to maintain a Hazard Risk Communication Office to simplify and improve public warnings for tornadoes, hurricanes, winter storms, and other hazardous weather. The Office would develop metrics, eliminate confusing terminology, and apply findings from social and behavioral science to make warnings clearer and more actionable. The bill would also require a research program to modernize probabilistic hazard communication, a pilot program specifically for tornado hazard communication in partnership with eligible colleges and universities, and a strategic plan for the next-generation Warn-on-Forecast system submitted to Congress within one year of enactment.

Beyond communication, the bill would require NOAA to evaluate and potentially update the tornado rating system, conduct post-storm surveys and assessments after significant events, and make that data publicly available. It would give statutory authority to the VORTEX-USA collaborative research program, authorize $11 million per year through FY2032 for it, and require the Government Accountability Office to report on the National Weather Service's information technology infrastructure and alert-dissemination capabilities within 540 days of enactment.

The general public — particularly residents of tornado-prone and hurricane-vulnerable regions — who receive NOAA weather alerts and warnings. NOAA and National Weather Service staff who would implement new communication standards and conduct post-storm assessments. Historically Black colleges and universities and other minority-serving institutions eligible for VORTEX-USA research grants. State, local, and tribal emergency managers who coordinate with NOAA on weather preparedness.

Clearer, faster, and more scientifically grounded weather warnings could reduce deaths and property loss from tornadoes and other severe events. The VORTEX-USA grant program would direct research funding toward minority-serving institutions in weather-vulnerable areas. The GAO review could expose gaps or delays in the National Weather Service's alert infrastructure — weaknesses that matter most when minutes count during a fast-moving storm.

NOAA's Under Secretary would maintain the Hazard Risk Communication Office, which would develop and periodically update a support plan grounded in social and behavioral science research, coordinate with federal, state, tribal, and media partners, and track communication effectiveness through performance metrics. The Warn-on-Forecast strategic plan must be submitted to Congress within one year. VORTEX-USA grants would be awarded annually, with priority for minority-serving institutions. Post-storm survey data must be made publicly available promptly. The GAO would independently assess NWS alert technology and report to Congress within 540 days of enactment.