Hurricane Forecast Upgrades
The National Hurricane Center rolled out major 2026 upgrades to its tropical forecast cone and alert products aimed at improving clarity and earlier warnings for operators and logistics planners. (jagranjosh.com)
NOAA announced on March 24, 2026 that the National Hurricane Center will implement a new operational tropical cyclone track cone and new storm surge alert products for the 2026 hurricane season. (noaa.gov) The operational cone will explicitly display all land‑based (coastal and inland) tropical storm and hurricane watches and warnings for the continental United States, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. (nhc.noaa.gov) An experimental cone introduced in 2026 will be constructed from ellipses anchored at each NHC forecast point to capture errors in both speed and direction and will include 90% of forecast track possibilities rather than the traditional 67% error envelope. (noaa.gov) NHC will issue the experimental cone in addition to the operational cone with full and intermediate advisories, and both cone graphics will be posted on hurricanes.gov for each advisory when available. (mesonet.agron.iastate.edu) Beginning in 2026 the National Weather Service will be authorized to issue Storm Surge Watches and Warnings for the main Hawaiian Islands, and NHC will publish a Peak Storm Surge Forecast Graphic plus a Potential Storm Surge Flooding Map specifically for Hawaii. (nhc.noaa.gov) The inland‑watch/warning cone moved from experimental use in 2024–2025 to operational status after NHC social‑science testing and user feedback, and the new cone legend includes symbology for areas simultaneously under a hurricane watch and a tropical‑storm warning. (nhc.noaa.gov)
