National Weather Service Ends Language Translations, Sparks Safety Concerns

DES MOINES, Iowa — The National Weather Service (NWS) has announced it will discontinue translations of severe weather alerts into languages other than English, raising significant safety concerns for non-English speaking residents in Iowa. This decision comes after the agency’s contract with a translation provider lapsed, leaving many vulnerable individuals without critical storm warnings in their native languages.

Previously, the NWS offered alerts in multiple languages, including Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French, and Samoan. However, as of this week, all such translations have been paused. NWS spokesperson Michael Musher confirmed that the agency has no immediate plans to renew the contract or pursue alternative solutions for translation services.

This change could have dire consequences, especially for Iowa’s considerable Spanish-speaking population, which includes over 130,000 residents, according to the Iowa State Data Center. Without translated alerts, these community members may struggle to grasp the severity of approaching severe weather conditions.

Alejandro Rios-Zamora, a radio host at 97.5 FM La Q Buena in Des Moines, emphasized the importance of accessible alerts, particularly for those who do not speak English. “A lot of people come here on visas — they work in the fields, picking corn — and they don’t speak English at all,” Rios-Zamora stated. “If their cellphone gets an alert and it’s not in Spanish, they sometimes don’t understand the severity of the situation.”

Stations like La Q Buena have taken on the responsibility of translating important weather information to keep their listeners informed during emergencies. Rios-Zamora noted, “When there’s a tornado or severe weather, we get on the airwaves and on social media to warn people to stay safe.”

Moreover, Polk County’s emergency management is advising residents who need information translated to use third-party applications, like Google Translate, to interpret alerts they receive. This workaround, however, may not be timely or comprehensive enough during rapidly evolving severe weather events.

The impact transcends mere communication; experts warn that inadequate language access could lead to devastating outcomes. Joseph Trujillo-Falcón, a researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, pointed to the deadly tornado outbreak in Kentucky in 2021 as an example where language access saved lives. A Spanish-speaking family survived by receiving weather alerts in their native language.

“It saved their life,” Trujillo-Falcón remarked. He concluded, “Without timely and accessible weather alerts, communities may be unprepared for severe weather.”

This issue further highlights a broader challenge faced by emergency management agencies amid increasing climate-related disasters. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly 68 million people in the country speak a language other than English at home, and timely access to essential weather information is vital for those populations.

As the NWS adjusts to these operational changes, the emphasis remains on the pressing need for reinstating translation services quickly. Advocates argue that the decision represents not just a bureaucratic lapse, but a critical lapse in public safety. With climate-related weather events becoming more common and severe, ensuring clear communication across all language barriers is crucial for the welfare of vulnerable communities.