Find answers to your hurricane questions so you can stay informed, prepared, and protected during every storm. We provide guidance on how hurricanes form, offer safety tips, and share preparation strategies to help you take charge of your storm planning.
A hurricane is a type of tropical cyclone. It features organized thunderstorms and a closed low-level circulation with sustained winds of at least 74 miles per hour (119 kilometers per hour). Hurricanes form over warm ocean waters, often spanning hundreds of miles. They frequently cause flooding, storm surges, and damaging winds.
A tropical storm shares the same basic structure as a hurricane but has lower wind speeds, specifically 39 to 73 miles per hour (63 to 118 kilometers per hour). Both can cause damage, but hurricanes typically pose greater risks because their wind speeds, rainfall, and storm surge potential are higher and more destructive.
Meteorologists use the terms hurricane, typhoon, and cyclone to identify tropical cyclones in different regions. You’ll hear “hurricane” in the North Atlantic, central North Pacific, and eastern North Pacific. “Typhoon” describes similar storms in the Northwest Pacific, while “cyclone” refers to those in the South Pacific and Indian Ocean. All have the same basic structure and are classified by wind speed, but their regional names help tracking and reporting.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) maintains a rotating list of hurricane names. Meteorologists alternate male and female names, recycling the list every six years. If a storm causes significant destruction, officials retire that name and replace it with another, improving clarity and communication for future tracking.
Meteorologists classify hurricanes with the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale based on sustained wind speeds and expected damage.
Where Is The Hurricane sources hurricane data from meteorological and oceanographic leaders like the National Hurricane Center (NHC). Our team provides the NHC’s 2-Day and 7-Day Graphical Tropical Weather Outlooks, highlighting potential storm formation in the Atlantic with likelihood percentages and designated risk areas.
You can view real-time satellite imagery, including GOES-19 Geocolor graphics from NOAA. These images reveal storm organization, cloud patterns, and cyclone structure. We also present updated sea surface temperatures and wave heights from Bay News 9 and marine sensors, showing ocean conditions that impact hurricane growth.
We visualize atmospheric conditions with interactive Ventusky maps. These display surface temperature, air pressure, wind speed, and gusts at various altitudes—crucial for understanding storm intensity and movement. Our site also combines input from NOAA, regional buoy systems, and global forecasting models, so you’ll always find comprehensive tracking, early warnings, and up-to-date situational awareness.
We collect mapping data and satellite imagery directly from NOAA’s geostationary satellites, including GOES-19 (East) and GOES-18 (West). These satellites constantly monitor the Atlantic, providing rapid, high-resolution images for real-time hurricane tracking so you can see evolving rain bands and eye features.
We add more mapping layers using NOAA datasets, regional buoys, and weather networks. Our interactive maps and animated satellite loops update every few minutes to hours, delivering timely storm awareness along with historical perspectives of past events. This robust data pipeline empowers you to track storms and make informed decisions before they arrive.
We update hurricane tracking data in sync with the official NHC schedule. You’ll see refreshed forecast graphics, advisories, and storm tracks at least every six hours—at 5AM, 11AM, 5PM, and 11PM ET—during active storms.
If a tropical storm or hurricane watch or warning is in effect, we push intermediate updates and new maps every 2–3 hours, keeping you informed as conditions change. Some interactive tools and live-feeds, like satellite imagery or sea surface maps, update in near real-time—sometimes as frequently as every 15 minutes—so you have the most current information at your fingertips.
Meteorologists issue a hurricane watch when hurricane conditions (winds of 74+ mph) might impact an area within about 48 hours. If they expect hurricane conditions in the next 36 hours, they issue a warning. You should take every warning seriously so you have time to finalize your preparations and evacuate if needed.
You can get disaster readiness guides, checklists, and tips from FEMA, the American Red Cross, Ready.gov, and your local emergency management office. These providers cover evacuation routes, shelter options, emergency kits, pet safety, and cleanup advice.
Where Is The Hurricane also features a blog with curated hurricane safety and emergency planning articles. Our blog gives you printable checklists, expert advice, and updated supply kit recommendations. By bringing together resources from trusted agencies and practical, community-driven tips, our blog makes it easy to prepare confidently and take control during hurricane season.
