# 119-hr-4302: Improving Atmospheric River Forecasts Act

119-hr-4302, Improving Atmospheric River Forecasts Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Obernolte, Jay [R-CA-23] (R-CA); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-04-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4302
- As of: 2026-04-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-4302
- Congress: 119
- Title: Improving Atmospheric River Forecasts Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-07-07
- Sponsor: Rep. Obernolte, Jay [R-CA-23] (R-CA)
- Cosponsors: 5
- Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-04-21

## Summary

**Advance atmospheric river and subseasonal-to-seasonal precipitation forecasting** to help western U.S. water managers and reduce storm impacts. The bill would direct NOAA to run at least one subseasonal-to-seasonal forecasting pilot and to establish a national Atmospheric River Forecast Improvement Program to develop better models, observations, and public forecasts. - Western water managers and communities would get at least one pilot focused on mountain precipitation, rain-versus-snow forecasts, storm tracks, and inland atmospheric river penetration. - Emergency managers, utilities, and the public would gain more actionable probabilistic forecasts, new hazard-communication tools, and quantitative AR categorization to reduce loss of life, property, and economic damage. - NOAA, universities, and the weather industry would get funding and partnerships for high-resolution modeling, enhanced satellite and ocean data assimilation, AI and machine learning, testbeds, reconnaissance data sharing, and improved observations. *Would authorize about $15 million per year from 2026 through 2030 for pilot projects and the program, increasing federal spending over that period.*

## Cosponsors (5)

- Rep. Fong, Vince [R-CA-20] (R-CA), 2025-07-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Whitesides, George [D-CA-27] (D-CA), 2025-07-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Correa, J. Luis [D-CA-46] (D-CA), 2025-07-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7] (D-VA), 2025-08-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Matsui, Doris O. [D-CA-7] (D-CA), 2025-08-26T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- National atmospheric river forecast program: benefit, high. NOAA would set up a national program to make atmospheric river forecasts more accurate and useful. It would work with industry and universities to improve models, data use, and warnings from seasonal to short-range time frames. The effort would fold in social and economic research so forecasts are…
- More flights and data for storms: benefit, medium. NOAA would acquire and sustain planes, sensors, and crews to fly missions for hurricanes and atmospheric rivers. It would ensure these flights collect data through the storm seasons and share it for research and operations when practicable. NOAA would partner on flight planning, safeguard and archi…
- Western water forecast pilot funding: benefit, medium. NOAA would run at least one pilot to improve 2- to seasonal-length rain and snow forecasts for the western U.S. It would focus on mountain weather, rain-versus-snow, storm tracks, and atmospheric river landfalls and inland reach. The pilot could receive $15 million each year for 2026 through 2030.…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-842: Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act
- 119-hr-9237: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act
- 119-hr-1993: 25th Anniversary of 9/11 Commemorative Coin Act
- 119-hr-1628: 761st Tank Battalion Congressional Gold Medal Act
- 119-hr-4206: CONNECT for Health Act of 2025
- 119-hr-1262: Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act

## Sources
- [119-hr-4302 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4302)

## Related
- [119-hr-842: Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage A…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-842)
- [119-hr-9237: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9237)
- [119-hr-1993: 25th Anniversary of 9/11 Commemorative Coin Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1993)
- [119-hr-1628: 761st Tank Battalion Congressional Gold Medal Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1628)
- [119-hr-4206: CONNECT for Health Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4206)
- [119-hr-1262: Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1262)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4302 (as of 2026-04-21).