Just Weeks From Start of 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season…
BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2026 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — The National Hurricane Center is changing the way it shows where a storm is headed, rolling out a redesigned forecast cone graphic for the 2026 hurricane season that will include inland watches and warnings for the first time. The update means communities far from the coast will now see their own watch and warning designations directly on the cone map — not just coastal areas. The change follows a successful experimental phase last year.
The revised cone incorporates all land-based tropical storm and hurricane watches and warnings for the continental United States, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It also shifts to a single shading style for the full five-day outlook and adds a new legend symbol for areas where both a hurricane watch and a tropical storm warning are simultaneously in effect. NHC Director Michael Brennan said the improvements are designed to help communities prepare earlier and more effectively for dangerous hazards from tropical storms and hurricanes.
Separately, the NHC is also debuting an experimental version of the cone that uses ellipses — rather than the traditional circles. That experimental graphic will capture a broader range of possibilities for both storm speed and direction, and will reflect 90 percent of forecast track possibilities, up from the current 67 percent.
The 2026 hurricane season begins June 1.
