SALT LAKE CITY — A recent shift in the National Weather Service’s (NWS) alert system has sparked growing concern in Utah, particularly among residents who rely on weather warnings in languages other than English.
Due to federal budget constraints, the NWS has suspended its translated severe weather alerts — including warnings for snowstorms, high winds, and other dangerous conditions. This suspension follows the expiration of a contract between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Lilt, the AI-powered translation service that had been providing multilingual alerts since last year. Languages previously supported included Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, Samoan, and French.
A statement from Marrissa Anderson of the NWS Public Affairs Office confirmed the change: “Due to a contract lapse, NWS paused the automated language translation services for our products until further notice. This is all we can offer at this time.”
The change has immediate implications for Utah’s Hispanic community, which represents about 15% of the state’s population, based on the 2020 U.S. Census. Spanish remains the most spoken language after English in the state, making the loss of Spanish-language weather alerts particularly significant.
Salt Lake City resident Milka Soto, whose family owns a concrete company, highlighted the importance of weather updates in Spanish for many laborers and families who work outdoors.
“It affects how people plan their day, especially those doing physical labor,” Soto said. “A lot of Latino workers rely on accurate weather info to decide whether they can even show up for work.”
While many residents use smartphones or internet services to access weather forecasts, Milka noted that not everyone, especially seniors, can easily navigate digital tools.
“There are still people who don’t use smartphones or apps,” she explained. “My dad, for instance, depends on the weather alerts he hears on the radio or sees on TV — in Spanish.”
With work schedules, safety, and income often hinging on severe weather warnings, Soto emphasized how important it is that alerts remain accessible in more than just English.
“If you work in construction, you need to know if storms are coming,” she said. “If it’s something serious, you have to be ready.”
Nationwide, more than 68 million Americans speak a language other than English at home, according to the most recent census data. Over 42 million of them speak Spanish — further highlighting the national implications of the service disruption.
For now, communities across Utah and the country are left hoping for a swift resolution that will once again ensure critical weather alerts reach everyone — regardless of the language they speak.
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