The federal government has been tracking the weather for more than 150 years. Yet over the last few decades, the rise of the Internet and big tech have made weather forecasting a more crowded space. Today on the show: the value of an accurate forecast and the debate over who should control the data. Related stories:Hazard maps: The curse of knowledge (Apple / Spotify) Should we invest more in weather forecasting? After a year of deadly weather, cities look to private forecasters to save lives For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

This week, a powerful hurricane hit Cuba, causing nationwide electricity outages — right after a string of power failures that have plagued the country in recent months. These power outages are a low point for a country that has struggled economically for years and is experiencing mass emigration. Today on the show, we explain why Cuba is struggling to keep the lights on and investigate the root causes of the Caribbean nation's dramatic fall. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy