HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — With the start of the 2025 season just over a month away, the National Hurricane Center released information on new products and updates to others.
The hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30.
Some of the updates impact both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, while others are only for the Central Pacific.
The new products and updates include:
- Experimental cone graphic with a depiction of inland watches and warnings for the United States
- U.S. Rip current risk map for active tropical cyclones
- Updated issuance criteria for potential tropical cyclone advisory products
- Updates to the forecast/advisory (TCM) product, including the extension of hurricane-force winds (74 mph/64 kt) wind radii forecasts to day 3
- Probabilistic storm surge for the Hawaiian Islands
- Annual update to the track forecast error cone
All updates are aimed at making it easier for people to understand the threat they are under as a tropical system approaches. You can read the full details from the NHC here.
Experimental Cone Information:
The NHC will issue the experimental cone graphic again this year, along with the current cone forecast graphic. The experimental cone graphic will display inland watches and warnings for the continental United States.
The original cone forecast will remain available with each update, with the watches and warnings only showing up along the coastlines.
Recent social science research found that the addition of the inland watches and warnings to the cone graphic will help show the wind risk associated with a tropical event.
Rip Current Risk Graphic:
During the past decade, there has been an increase in surf and rip current deaths in the U.S., especially as tropical systems approached the coasts.
To highlight the dangers rip currents pose along the coasts, the NHC will issue a U.S. Rip Current Risk graphic. The product will show the risk for the current day, the next day, and a composite showing the highest risk over the next two days.
The map is designed to show the rip current risk information, but it will not specify the height of the surf.
For more information on NWS surf zone forecasts, rip current risk categories, and rip currentsafety, click here.
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