The cuts are fueling concerns that NOAA's ability to deliver lifesaving services, such as weather forecasting, storm warnings, climate monitoring and fishery oversight, will be hampered. The concerns are especially acute as hurricane and disaster season looms.

In the Great Lakes, NOAA data is used for everything from going out on a boat, fishing, swimming, coastal flooding.

Drought and extreme winds across Oklahoma mean perfect conditions for wildfires to start and spread. By mid-day Friday, dozens of fires were burning across the state, prompting evacuations, taking out power and making travel hazardous.