The Trump administration laid off about 800 probationary employees from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Thursday, but it's not yet clear how cuts to the weather and climate agency will affect San Diego.

Why it matters: NOAA's San Diego footprint includes not only the National Weather Service field office, but the organization is also a major funder of research at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO).

The big picture: The NOAA layoffs come as climate change causes more intense and frequent weather and climate extremes.

State of play: As of Friday afternoon, Axios learned there were no cuts to the local NWS office, where 22 employees are responsible for around-the-clock forecasts for the San Diego region.

• The coverage area it is responsible for is home to the third largest population of any NWS field office in the country.
• San Diego's NWS office in the last 18 months has been responsible for warning residents of threats posed by extreme weather events like January's powerful Santa Ana winds, last year's destructive and historic flash floods, and the "rare and dangerous" Tropical Storm Hilary.

The intrigue: UC San Diego's Scripps, where modern climate science began and where some of the field's most significant research continues, received 14% — about $42 million — of its sponsored research funding in fiscal year 2023-24 from NOAA.

• It's unclear what specific programs might be cut, but some NOAA-supported research at Scripps could be at stake if the federal government follows through with slashing the agency's budget.

Yes, but: The Mauna Loa Observatory, a NOAA facility on the Mauna Loa Volcano on the island of Hawaii, had not been disrupted as of Friday morning, SIO's director of communications said.

• The Keeling Curve, a long-running record of carbon in the atmosphere directed by SIO researcher Ralph Keeling, relies on readings from the observatory.

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San Diego FC couldn't get the win but put on a show in its inaugural MLS home opener that ended in a scoreless draw against St. Louis CITY SC Saturday night.

Why it matters: The game marked a historic moment for San Diego and Snapdragon Stadium, which was packed with a record-setting crowd of 34,506 fans that celebrated the new team's arrival — and drew criticism.

Driving the news: SDFC Head Coach Mikey Varas opened the postgame press conference condemning homophobic, discriminatory chants made by fans at the opposing goalkeeper, calling it "unacceptable."

• "It has no place here," Varas said, clarifying the chant did not come from the club's main supporter group, La Frontera, which also posted a statement.
• Several warnings were made during the game telling fans to stop the offensive chant that's been a longtime problem with Mexican fans.

State of play: On the field, SDFC dominated possession and the passing game, while creating exciting offensive chances with its high-pressure style, but couldn't find the back of the net.

• SDFC star forward Chucky Lozano left the game 30 minutes in with a lower body injury that's being assessed.

The bottom line: "The stadium was electric, the boys were electric," Varas said.

• "San Diego is a diverse place, it's a creative place, it's a competitive place and I think the boys showed that on the field," he said.

The vibe and what's next

🚧 The conversion of Horton Plaza into a downtown tech hub is in foreclosure, and a similar attempt to repurpose UTC's Costa Verde Center is in doubt. Together, they show the difficulty of transitioning retail into office space. (CoStar)

☘️ The director of recruiting for Notre Dame is taking a gig as the general manager of an SDSU football program that's looking to rebuild following consecutive lackluster years. (Inside ND Sports)

🤳 Mayor Todd Gloria's office is escalating a disagreement with state officials, with a social media campaign challenging CalTrans plan to clear homeless encampments near highways as aggressively as SDPD has on city streets. (Instagram)

San Diego County's median home sale price was $880,000 to close out 2024 — the most expensive year for homes locally, according to Redfin data.

• That's more than double the cost nationwide.

Why it matters: Home prices climbed in every one of the 50 largest U.S. metro areas in December from a year earlier — a first since May 2022, per Redfin's analysis.

Zoom in: San Diego saw a 4.8% jump in December from the year before, and the income needed to afford a home keeps rising as million-dollar listings become the norm.

Yes, but: Prices have steadily dropped since peaking in June 2024 at $950,000, according to Redfin.

• Nearly half of home listings in 2024 saw price cuts as they sat on the market last summer.

The big picture: A persistent shortage of homes is keeping prices high, though inventory rose recently.

• U.S. inventory jumped nearly 17% in January from a year earlier, National Association of Realtors data shows.

The bottom line

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The first Top Gun class convened on March 3, 1969 at the Miramar Naval Air Station, now the Marine Corps base.

Why it matters: The U.S. Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program, known as Top Gun, was created to train fighter pilots that improved their success in combat during the Vietnam War.

• It's the basis for the hit movie franchise that was filmed at Miramar and around San Diego and was used to boost military recruitment as part of a nearly century-long relationship between the Department of Defense and the entertainment industry.