Q: Is it true that if President Donald Trump hadn’t defunded the National Weather Service, the death toll in the Texas flooding would have been far lower or nonexistent? A: The Trump administration did not defund the NWS but did reduce the staff by 600 people.

For years, employees say, they've had to do more with less. But the ability to fill in the gaps became strained to the breaking point when the Trump administration began pushing new staffing cuts.

Cuts to the National Weather Service has ignited debate about the agency's ability to respond to emergency weather events, like the Hill Country floods.

Texas and the rest of the nation are mourning as the death toll rises to 120 almost a week after catastrophic flooding devastated parts of the state over Fourth of July weekend.

Key positions at National Weather Service offices across Texas are vacant, sowing doubt over the state’s ability to respond to natural disasters as rescuers comb through the flood-ravaged Hill Country.

Deadly flood in Texas sparks a debate over whether recent cuts and staffing shortages led to a greater loss of life.

As a climate scientist who calls Texas home, I can tell you that the Hill Country of Texas is no stranger to flooding. Meteorologists often refer to it as “Flash Flood Alley” because of its steep terrain, shallow soils, and its history of sudden and intense rainfall.

A Flash Flood Warning has been issued for the District of Columbia, Arlington, and Alexandria until 8:45 PM EDT, as severe storms continue to hit the region