National Weather Service on alert after conspiracy group threatens radar sites

The National Weather Service (NWS) is on heightened alert after recent threats from a militia-style group.

By David Amelotti
Published: May 8, 2025 at 5:32 PM CDT

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - The National Weather Service (NWS) is on heightened alert after recent threats from a militia-style group that believes the agency’s Doppler radar systems are being used as “weather weapons.”

Initial reports indicate the group, identified by CNN as Veterans on Patrol, has targeted radar facilities operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The group reportedly sent threats, calling the radar network a weapon and encouraging attacks on weather sites.

“They are the number one tool in our toolbox,” said Herb Simmons, director of St. Clair County Emergency Management.

Simmons emphasized the critical role Doppler radar plays in severe weather forecasting and emergency response. The NWS data reaches nearly 4 million people in the St. Louis region alone.

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