diff --git a/.github/jobs/docker_utils.py b/.github/jobs/docker_utils.py
index a40d6b2e56..edf0b00167 100644
--- a/.github/jobs/docker_utils.py
+++ b/.github/jobs/docker_utils.py
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ def get_dockerhub_url(branch_name):
 def docker_get_volumes_last_updated(current_branch):
     import requests
     dockerhub_url = get_dockerhub_url(current_branch)
-    dockerhub_request = requests.get(dockerhub_url)
+    dockerhub_request = requests.get(dockerhub_url, timeout=60)
     if dockerhub_request.status_code != 200:
         print(f"Could not find DockerHub URL: {dockerhub_url}")
         return None
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ def docker_get_volumes_last_updated(current_branch):
                 volumes_last_updated[repo_name] = repo['last_updated']
         if not page['next']:
             break
-        page = requests.get(page['next']).json()
+        page = requests.get(page['next'], timeout=60).json()
         attempts += 1
 
     return volumes_last_updated
diff --git a/.github/jobs/get_data_volumes.py b/.github/jobs/get_data_volumes.py
index 5c568577a1..e492711710 100755
--- a/.github/jobs/get_data_volumes.py
+++ b/.github/jobs/get_data_volumes.py
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ def main(args):
     branch_name = get_branch_name()
     if not branch_name:
         print("Could not get current branch. Exiting.")
-        sys.exit(1)
+        return None
 
     # remove -ref from end of branch name if found
     if branch_name.endswith('-ref'):
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ def main(args):
         # use it, otherwise use develop version of data volume
         elif (metplus_version == 'develop' and
               f'{branch_name}-{model_app_name}' in available_volumes):
-                volume_name = f'{branch_name}-{model_app_name}'
+            volume_name = f'{branch_name}-{model_app_name}'
         else:
             volume_name = f'{metplus_version}-{model_app_name}'
 
@@ -97,13 +97,15 @@ def main(args):
         cmd = (f'docker create --name {model_app_name} '
                f'{full_volume_name}')
         if not run_commands(cmd):
-            continue
+            print(f'ERROR: Could not create data volume for {full_volume_name}')
+            return None
 
         # add name to volumes from list to pass to docker build
         volume_list.append(f'--volumes-from {model_app_name}')
 
     return ' '.join(volume_list)
 
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     # split up command line args that have commas before passing into main
     args = []
@@ -111,4 +113,7 @@ def main(args):
     for arg in sys.argv[1:]:
         args.extend(arg.split(','))
     out = main(args)
+    if out is None:
+        print("ERROR: Something went wrong")
+        sys.exit(1)
     print(out)
diff --git a/.github/jobs/setup_and_run_diff.py b/.github/jobs/setup_and_run_diff.py
index 1a4c908b14..59c5be37ed 100755
--- a/.github/jobs/setup_and_run_diff.py
+++ b/.github/jobs/setup_and_run_diff.py
@@ -43,6 +43,9 @@
 output_category = f"output-{output_data_branch}-{artifact_name}"
 
 VOLUMES_FROM = get_data_volumes.main([output_category])
+if VOLUMES_FROM is None:
+    print("ERROR: Could not get truth data to run diff")
+    sys.exit(1)
 
 print(f"Output Volumes: {VOLUMES_FROM}")
 
diff --git a/.github/jobs/setup_and_run_use_cases.py b/.github/jobs/setup_and_run_use_cases.py
index 931a79d76d..d65cf247c5 100755
--- a/.github/jobs/setup_and_run_use_cases.py
+++ b/.github/jobs/setup_and_run_use_cases.py
@@ -49,6 +49,10 @@ def main():
     )
     # get input data volumes
     volumes_from = get_data_volumes.main(categories_list)
+    if volumes_from is None:
+        print('ERROR: Could not get input data to run use cases')
+        sys.exit(1)
+
     print(f"Input Volumes: {volumes_from}")
 
     # build Docker image with conda environment and METplus branch image
diff --git a/internal/scripts/docker_env/Dockerfile.conda b/internal/scripts/docker_env/Dockerfile.conda
index f1a62fa780..e2679c05a9 100644
--- a/internal/scripts/docker_env/Dockerfile.conda
+++ b/internal/scripts/docker_env/Dockerfile.conda
@@ -5,6 +5,6 @@ ARG DEBIAN_VERSION=12
 FROM debian:${DEBIAN_VERSION}-slim
 
 RUN apt update && apt install -y curl \
- && curl https://repo.anaconda.com/miniconda/Miniconda3-py311_23.5.2-0-Linux-x86_64.sh > /miniconda.sh \
- && bash /miniconda.sh -b -p /usr/local/conda \
+ && curl -L https://github.com/conda-forge/miniforge/releases/download/23.3.1-1/Mambaforge-23.3.1-1-$(uname)-$(uname -m).sh -o /miniforge.sh \
+ && bash /miniforge.sh -b -p /usr/local/conda \
  && /usr/local/conda/bin/conda update -y -n base -c conda-forge conda