While the two agencies renegotiated their contract, the FAA said Wednesday that it would not end its more than 40-year-old partnership with the NWS. A recent press release from the National Weather Service Employees Organization said meteorologists at each of the 21 air traffic control centers should be replaced with automated software, citing potential public safety concerns.

“The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Weather Service will continue our longstanding partnership to provide weather services to ensure the safety of the National Airspace System,” an FAA spokesperson told USA TODAY in a statement.

Using computer models, radar and satellite data, these meteorologists currently provide daily briefings and real-time advice on rapidly evolving weather events to help air traffic control assess routes.