Lives are being put in danger,” one meteorologist warned, as some experts feared the cuts will harm public safety.

Current and former agency officials and lawmakers said the cuts could have major impacts on Americans and the economy, compromising important functions.

In severe weather situations — like tornado outbreaks or an approaching hurricane — inaccurate weather forecasts can be a matter of life and death, said Pam Knox, an agricultural climatologist at the University of Georgia.

The terminations come days before a potential severe weather outbreak in the southeastern U.S. — and just months ahead of the next Atlantic hurricane season.

NOAA's weather data is freely available and critical for meteorologists to create accurate forecasts. But that's not all NOAA does. How its different divisions impact your life.

Energy & Environment Energy & Environment   The Big Story How the NOAA firings could affect Americans’ lives The Trump administration fired hundreds of

The NWS has personnel and weather radar in Wake, New Hanover and Carteret counties. The National Climatic Data Center, another division of NOAA, is located in Asheville.

Meteorologists across the U.S. were fired from the NWS, raising concerns over forecasting accuracy and emergency planning.