President Trump's pick to head NOAA — which includes the National Weather Service — will tell Congress on Wednesday that he wants to make the U.S. a weather forecasting leader. Why it matters: Neil Jacobs' nomination hearing arrives as critics wonder if NWS staffing reductions hampered performance in the deadly Texas flooding — and whether proposed budget cuts will hinder the very forecasting improvements he's vowing.

After the death toll in the catastrophic flash floods in Texas reached at least 104 people, including 27 campers and counselors from Camp Mystic, an all girls camp, the Trump administration is explaining the series of warnings that were issued ahead of the floods.