HURRICANE CENTER

HURRICANE CENTER LIVE | Hurricane Misinformation: Can You Trust What You See?

A hurricane appears in a computer model two weeks into the future. Within hours, dramatic forecasts spread across social media. AI-generated flooding videos attract thousands of views. People begin wondering whether to cancel vacations, evacuate or prepare for a disaster that may never happen.

How do you separate legitimate weather information from online hype?

This week on Hurricane Center Live, Dr. Kelli Burns, a professor at the University of South Florida specializing in social media and digital communication, joins Tim and Dr. Hal "Hurricane Hal" Needham for an important conversation about the changing world of hurricane communication.

In this episode:

• How AI-generated disaster images and videos can mislead audiences
• Why social media algorithms amplify sensational weather content
• The rise of weather influencers without professional credentials
• How misinformation undermines trust in meteorologists and emergency officials
• Why long-range hurricane model predictions create unnecessary anxiety
• How credible communicators can build public trust without sensationalism
• What viewers can do to identify trustworthy weather information

The discussion also explores why clear visual storytelling, consistent communication and responsible forecasting are essential to public safety.

The takeaway: Before sharing a dramatic hurricane forecast or disaster video, know the source, check the facts and consider whether the information is credible.

Hurricane Center Live is made possible through the support of USAA, Visit South Padre Island, LiveU and the Texas Weather Network.

#HurricaneCenterLive #HurricaneMisinformation #WeatherSafety #HurricaneSeason #Meteorology #ArtificialIntelligence #SocialMedia

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Hurricane Isaias delivered some remarkable surprises along the Florida Panhandle — and Dr. Hurricane Hal Needham was there to witness them.

On this episode of Hurricane Center Plus, Hal takes us inside the storm, sharing firsthand observations from Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Navarre, and Pensacola.

What he discovered raises important questions about hurricane forecasting, public preparedness, and the way we communicate dangerous weather.

In this episode:

• Why some coastal residents continued their normal routines just hours before landfall
• How outdated forecasts can create a dangerous false sense of security
• The unexpected destructive winds west of the hurricane's center
• The meteorology behind the possible sting-jet phenomenon
• Why hurricane impacts extend far beyond the forecast track
• What businesses can teach us about preparing for disasters

We also discuss the emerging role of address-specific flood risk forecasting and the importance of combining physical science with social science.

Featuring: Dr. Hal Needham, hurricane and disaster scientist.

Join us for Hurricane Center Plus as we explore the science, the people, and the lessons behind major weather events.

Presented with support from USAA, Visit South Padre Island, LiveU, and the Texas Weather Network.

#HurricaneIsaias #HurricaneCenter #HurricaneHal #HurricanePreparedness #Meteorology #ExtremeWeather

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After an extraordinarily quiet Atlantic hurricane season, the Gulf Coast suddenly has a hurricane threat to deal with.

WeatherTiger co-founder and chief meteorologist Dr. Ryan Truchelut joins HurricaneCenter as Tropical Storm Isaias organizes over the Gulf of Mexico and forecasters assess the potential for hurricane conditions, flooding rain, storm surge, severe weather and impacts extending well away from the eventual landfall point.

Ryan explains why people shouldn't focus solely on the forecast track, how increasing wind shear could actually spread impacts across a much larger area, and why preparations along parts of the Gulf Coast need to be completed before deteriorating weather arrives.

The conversation also takes a fascinating turn into the future of hurricane forecasting: Google DeepMind, AI ensembles, ECMWF AI guidance, and how forecasters decide how much confidence to place in rapidly evolving artificial-intelligence models.

Former National Hurricane Center Director Bill Read and Dr. Hal Needham join the discussion as the team examines Isaias, the remarkable 2026 hurricane season, El Niño and what forecasters have learned from recent Gulf hurricanes.

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One hundred years ago, South Florida faced a hurricane season that would change Miami forever.

Historian and author Mike Bilder joins HurricaneCenter to take us inside the extraordinary 1926 hurricane season — a season with fewer storms than today's average, but tremendous impact.

At the center of the story is the Great Miami Hurricane of 1926.

There was no satellite. No radar. No computer guidance. Information traveled by ship reports, telegraph, newspapers and hurricane warning flags. By the time the hurricane warning reached Miami late at night, conditions were already deteriorating.

Then came one of the most remarkable moments of the storm.

As the eye passed over Miami, people walked outside believing the hurricane was over. Weather Bureau meteorologist Richard Gray knew better. He and his assistant tried desperately to warn people that the other half of the hurricane was coming.

It did — and accounts suggest the second half was even worse.

Mike takes us through the storm, the devastating surge across South Florida, the remarkable work of the forecasters trying to document it, and the hurricane's often-forgotten second act: another major hurricane landfall near Pensacola.

We also look at what changed afterward — and what hasn't.

A century of technology separates hurricane forecasting in 1926 from what we can do today. But one of the most difficult parts of hurricane preparedness remains remarkably familiar: getting people to understand the danger and act before the storm arrives.

Join Alex Garcia, former National Hurricane Center Director Bill Read and Dr. Hal Needham for a fascinating look back at one of the most consequential hurricane seasons in American history.

Guest: Mike Bilder — Historian & Author

In this episode:
• The extraordinary 1926 hurricane season
• The Great Miami Hurricane
• Forecasting hurricanes without radar or satellites
• Miami's late hurricane warning
• What happened when the eye crossed the city
• Storm surge and destruction across South Florida
• Richard Gray and the historic pressure measurement
• The hurricane's second major landfall near Pensacola
• How the disaster changed Miami
• What 1926 can still teach us 100 years later

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Warren Faidley has spent nearly four decades documenting tornadoes, hurricanes, lightning, and flash floods. In this episode of Hurricane Center Live, he looks back at the Saragosa tornado, his first hurricane chase during Gilbert, and the extraordinary experience of photographing Hurricane Andrew with almost no one else around.

Faidley also explains why storm surge is far more complicated than water rising at the beach. Roads and escape routes can flood first, and a small wind shift can change conditions within minutes. He discusses the planning, technology, and restraint required to work safely—and why the demand for extreme live footage is changing storm chasing for the worse.

Hosts Tim, Bill Read, and Hal Needham also examine current tropical conditions and the flash-flood threat created when tropical moisture reaches the desert Southwest.

Key takeaways

• The danger of surge often begins behind you, where evacuation routes flood before the shoreline does.
• Modern technology improves positioning and communication, but it does not replace local knowledge or judgment.
• Faidley studies post-storm aerial imagery, infrastructure, high ground, and escape routes before choosing a location.
• Starlink supports both field communication and his post-storm work as an EMT.
• Social platforms reward increasingly extreme footage, creating pressure to take risks that do not improve the journalism.

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Hurricane preparedness usually focuses on forecasts, evacuation routes, emergency supplies, and the approaching storm. But another critical part of the equation is already standing around us: the homes and buildings where people live.

In this episode of the HurricaneCenter Podcast, Alex Garcia talks with Leslie Chapman-Henderson, president and CEO of the nonprofit Federal Alliance for Safe Homes, or FLASH.

Leslie explains why stronger homes, modern building codes, and practical retrofits can dramatically change what happens when a hurricane reaches a community. The discussion examines the lessons learned from decades of major disasters, the vulnerabilities found in both older and newer homes, and the improvements that can help prevent a weather emergency from becoming a long-term family catastrophe.

The conversation also explores why hurricane resilience is not simply a coastal issue. Wind, flooding, tornadoes, falling trees, power outages, and displaced families can affect communities far beyond the point where a storm makes landfall.

Among the topics discussed:

• Why the home itself should be considered part of every hurricane plan
• How stronger building codes improve community resilience
• Why adopting a building code is not enough without enforcement
• The risks hidden inside older housing stock
• Practical improvements homeowners can make before hurricane season
• The importance of roofs, garage doors, windows, and structural connections
• Why families should understand both wind and flood risk
• How mitigation can reduce damage, displacement, and recovery time
• The challenge of making resilience improvements affordable
• What decades of hurricane research have taught the building industry
• Why communities repeatedly rebuild the same vulnerabilities
• The role of insurance, incentives, grants, and public policy
• How individual homeowners can begin assessing their risk today

Leslie’s message is straightforward: we cannot prevent hurricanes, but we can make informed choices about how well our homes and communities withstand them.

Preparedness does not begin when a hurricane warning is issued. It begins months or even years earlier—with better information, stronger construction, responsible maintenance, and a plan to address the weakest parts of the home.

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The Atlantic hurricane season is entering the period when tropical activity has historically increased sharply—but what does that mean for the weeks ahead?

Dr. Phil Klotzbach of Colorado State University joins HurricaneCenter for an in-depth discussion about the state of the Atlantic basin, the science behind seasonal hurricane forecasts and the environmental factors that can either support or suppress tropical development.

The conversation explores what accumulated cyclone energy tells researchers, why total storm numbers do not determine the impact of a season and why landfall risk remains difficult to predict months in advance.

Dr. Klotzbach also discusses how forecasters evaluate ocean temperatures, vertical wind shear, atmospheric moisture and large-scale climate patterns as the season progresses.

Most importantly, the episode explains why coastal residents should focus less on a single forecast number and more on maintaining a practical hurricane plan throughout the season.

00:00 — Entering the heart of hurricane season
Why late August and September command so much attention.

03:30 — How seasonal forecasts are created
The climate and ocean signals used to estimate basin-wide activity.

08:00 — What the forecast numbers really mean
Why named-storm and hurricane totals are only part of the story.

12:30 — Accumulated cyclone energy explained
How ACE measures the combined strength and duration of tropical systems.

17:00 — Warm water is not the entire equation
The importance of wind shear, atmospheric moisture and stability.

22:00 — Why hurricane landfalls remain difficult to predict
The difference between forecasting activity and forecasting impact.

27:00 — What could change during the remainder of the season
The atmospheric patterns researchers continue to monitor.

32:00 — Gulf of Mexico and rapid intensification concerns
Why storms close to land can create compressed preparation timelines.

36:30 — The most important preparedness message
Why residents should not judge their risk by how busy or quiet the basin appears.

40:30 — Final thoughts

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Meteorologists spend their careers explaining what hurricanes can do. Scott Withers experienced that danger firsthand.

While reporting from the Fort Myers area as Hurricane Ian made landfall on September 28, 2022, Scott and his photographer were overtaken by catastrophic storm surge. Water surrounded their vehicle, escape routes disappeared and the team found itself facing the very threat Scott had warned viewers about for days.

Scott joins Alex Garcia on HurricaneCenter to tell the story behind his book, Ian’s Surge—a minute-by-minute account of the forecast, the reporting assignment and the fight to survive one of the most destructive hurricanes in Florida history.

The conversation explores:

• How Scott entered meteorology and field reporting
• Why journalists deploy into hurricanes
• What the forecast showed before Ian’s landfall
• How quickly conditions deteriorated
• The moment Scott realized the team was in serious trouble
• Escaping a vehicle surrounded by storm surge
• The strangers who risked their own safety to help
• What it was like to remain exposed during the hurricane
• The physical and emotional aftermath
• Why Scott waited before telling the complete story
• How he reconstructed the timeline for Ian’s Surge
• What meteorologists misunderstand about public risk perception
• Why “storm surge” can remain too abstract for many viewers
• How Hurricane Ian changed Scott’s approach to warnings
• The lesson he wants coastal residents and journalists to remember

Hurricane Ian struck Florida’s southwest coast with maximum sustained winds of 150 miles per hour and produced catastrophic storm surge in communities including Fort Myers Beach. Scott describes Ian’s Surge not simply as a weather book, but as a survival story about what happens when scientific knowledge collides with the reality of a disaster.

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Harris County meteorologist Jeff Lindner explains why predicting rainfall is only part of the challenge—and how new forecasting tools, hydrology and lessons from historic floods are changing the way we understand risk.

Jeff Lindner joins Hurricane Center Live for a wide-ranging conversation about tropical weather, extreme rainfall and the rapidly changing science of flood forecasting.

Lindner is a meteorologist with the Harris County Flood Control District, where rainfall forecasts have to become something much more operational: How much water will fall? Where will it go? How quickly will rivers, bayous and streets respond—and when does that become dangerous? The Flood Control District continues to identify Lindner as one of its meteorologists and has long used his expertise in flood operations and public warning.

One of the most interesting parts of the discussion looks at the limits of traditional weather modeling and the next generation of higher-resolution and machine-learning guidance. Jeff talks about the challenge of turning increasingly sophisticated rainfall forecasts into useful hydrologic information—especially when small differences in where the heaviest rain falls can produce dramatically different outcomes.

The conversation also reaches beyond hurricanes. Lindner discusses his recent field work examining historic flash floods in Colorado and an intriguing comparison between the catastrophic 1976 flood and a much larger rainfall event decades later. The lesson: rainfall totals alone don't necessarily determine the size of a flood. Duration, terrain, soil conditions, watershed response and changes to the landscape all matter.

It is a reminder that forecasting the storm is only the beginning. Understanding what the water does next may be just as important.

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USAA's Andrew Freeman joins HurricaneCenter Live to discuss hurricane preparedness, resilience, and how communities can better prepare before the next storm. Plus, a look at the current state of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season and why a quiet season isn't a reason to let your guard down.

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Hurricane Hunter aircraft have transformed our understanding of tropical cyclones, but there are still parts of a hurricane that are too low, too turbulent and too dangerous for a crewed aircraft to explore.

That is where a new generation of uncrewed aircraft systems is changing the science.

In this episode of the HurricaneCenter Podcast, we speak with Dr. Joe Cione, lead meteorologist with NOAA’s Hurricane Research Division and a leader in the development and deployment of emerging hurricane-observation technology.

Dr. Cione explains why the lowest portion of a hurricane—the boundary layer immediately above the ocean—is so important to understanding storm structure and intensity. It is the region where the hurricane interacts directly with the sea, transferring heat, moisture and momentum, yet it has historically been one of the most difficult areas for scientists to observe.

The conversation explores how small aircraft launched from NOAA Hurricane Hunter planes can descend into the eye, eyewall and lower levels of a tropical cyclone while transmitting measurements back to researchers.

We also discuss:

• Why hurricane intensity remains more difficult to forecast than track
• What scientists still need to learn about rapid intensification
• Why the interaction between the ocean and atmosphere matters
• How uncrewed systems complement aircraft, satellites, dropsondes and ocean platforms
• The engineering challenges of operating inside hurricane-force winds
• How observations are eventually incorporated into forecast models
• The importance of collaboration among government, academia and private industry
• What the next generation of hurricane reconnaissance may look like
• How better observations can ultimately support earlier and more confident emergency decisions

Dr. Cione has spent decades investigating the hurricane environment and developing ways to collect measurements from locations that were once inaccessible. His work has included the Coyote, Altius-600 and Black Swift uncrewed aircraft systems.

A NOAA team that deployed an Altius aircraft into Hurricane Ian’s eyewall received the Department of Commerce Gold Medal for scientific and engineering achievement. Later Black Swift missions demonstrated extended flight time, communication range and the ability to operate within extreme hurricane conditions.

This episode offers a rare look at the technology, science and human persistence behind the effort to better understand one of the atmosphere’s most powerful phenomena.

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When a hurricane strikes, the first images are often wind, rain, storm surge and damage. But for many families, the hardest part begins after the cameras move on: finding help, repairing unsafe homes, navigating recovery programs and trying to rebuild a sense of normalcy.

On this episode of the HurricaneCenter Podcast, Jose Garcia of Rebuilding Together Greater Florida joins the conversation to discuss the recovery side of hurricane preparedness. The discussion focuses on what happens after disaster strikes, why safe housing is central to recovery, and how community partnerships can help homeowners - especially vulnerable families - move from damage toward resilience.

Jose shares perspective on the real-world challenges families face after storms: roof damage, water intrusion, unsafe living conditions, financial barriers, contractor concerns and the emotional toll of a long recovery. The episode also looks at how preparedness, mitigation and rebuilding stronger can reduce risk before the next hurricane season.

The bigger message: hurricane preparedness is not just about tracking the cone. It is about what families, neighborhoods, nonprofits, local governments and partners do before and after the storm to protect people and restore homes.

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When a hurricane threatens, the forecast is only part of the job. The bigger challenge is helping people understand what the storm means for them - without exaggeration, confusion or panic.

In this episode of HurricaneCenter, meteorologist Bryan Norcross joins the program for a conversation about one of the hardest parts of hurricane season: communicating risk in a way that is urgent, accurate and trusted.

The discussion centers on the balance between warning people early enough to act and avoiding language that makes every storm sound like the worst-case scenario. For broadcasters, forecasters, emergency managers and public information officers, that balance matters. If the message is too soft, people may not prepare. If it is too loud too often, people may tune it out.

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In this episode of HurricaneCenter, Meteorologist John Gordon joins the program for a focused conversation about indirect fatalities from extreme weather - the deaths and injuries that happen after the wind, rain, tornado, flood or hurricane has passed. The discussion reframes severe weather safety around the recovery period: carbon monoxide poisoning, flooded roads, hydroplaning, heat exposure, cleanup injuries, medical disruption and the risky decisions people make when power is out and stress is high.

Extreme weather deaths are often counted by the headline hazard - hurricane, tornado, flood, heat or winter storm. But many of the most preventable fatalities occur indirectly. They happen when people drive into flooded roads, lose control on wet pavement, run generators too close to the house, work outside in dangerous heat, use unsafe cleanup tools, or lose access to power-dependent medical needs. This episode focuses on the part of storm safety that can be overlooked: what people do next.

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Power outages are one of the most common after-the-storm problems - and for many families, a

portable generator becomes the bridge between disruption and recovery. But generator safety has to

come before convenience.

In this episode of HurricaneCenter, Guillermo Rodriguez, PGMA Marketing Committee Chair, joins the

program for a focused conversation on portable generator safety. The discussion centers on carbon

monoxide, the colorless and odorless gas that can build up quickly when a generator is operated in or

near an enclosed space.

The key message is simple: take the generator outside. Not in the garage. Not on a porch. Not under a

carport. Not near an open window. Portable generators should be used outdoors, far away from

doors, windows and vents, with exhaust directed away from the home and any occupied space.

The episode also highlights the importance of planning before the outage happens. Families should

know where the generator will sit, how it will be connected, what it can safely power, which cords are

rated for outdoor use, and where carbon monoxide alarms are installed.

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Early tropical activity can create a lot of noise. A June storm near land may grab headlines, raise anxiety and spark big seasonal questions: Is this a sign of an active year? Does an early storm mean the season is ahead of schedule? Or is it just one weather event in a much larger climate pattern?

On this episode of HurricaneCenter, Michael Lowry joins the program to help answer those questions. Lowry brings a rare combination of tropical forecasting, storm surge, broadcast and emergency management experience. He currently serves as Hurricane Specialist and Storm Surge Expert at WPLG-TV Miami, and his background includes work with the National Hurricane Center, The Weather Channel, FEMA and emergency management.

The conversation centers on the difference between short-term tropical weather and longer-season signals. Early storms can be important, especially when they produce flooding, coastal water issues, gusty winds or public confusion. But they do not always say much about what the peak of the season will bring. Lowry helps frame what forecasters look for instead: large-scale steering patterns, ocean heat, vertical wind shear, moisture, pressure patterns and where storms are forming.

The episode also explores communication. Early-season systems can be messy, sheared, lopsided or close to land. Those storms may not look impressive on satellite, but they can still produce meaningful local impacts. That is where clear messaging matters: rainfall, storm surge, coastal flooding and power interruptions can occur even when a storm is not a classic major hurricane.

This is a useful episode for weather professionals, emergency managers, coastal residents and anyone trying to understand how to read the tropics without overreacting to every early-season development.

Key Takeaways

• Early storms do not automatically define the rest of hurricane season.
• A named storm can be impactful even if it is weak, sheared or poorly organized.
• The best seasonal clues often come from large-scale patterns, not a single storm.
• Storm surge and rainfall risk can be more important than category or appearance.
• Communication matters most when the atmosphere produces messy, borderline systems.
• The public should prepare for the season as a whole, not just react to the first storm.

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In this episode of HurricaneCenter, the panel opens with the first named storm of the 2026 Atlantic season already affecting the Texas coast. Bill Reed walks through the early impacts from Tropical Storm Arthur, including tropical-storm-force winds near the coast, heavy localized rainfall, elevated tides and coastal water issues from Galveston to Bolivar and southwest Louisiana. Dr. Hal Needham joins live from the Galveston Seawall, where rough Gulf conditions and strong winds are already being felt, but he stresses that the main impact from Arthur is rainfall flooding rather than a major storm surge event.

The featured guest is Dr. Phil Klotzbach of Colorado State University, who breaks down the latest CSU outlook for the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season. Unlike recent years that leaned well above normal, the updated forecast calls for a somewhat below-normal season: 11 named storms, 5 hurricanes and 2 major hurricanes. With Arthur now named, that leaves 10 additional named storms in the forecast.

Phil explains why the forecast has shifted lower: El Niño. He walks through how warmer water in the central and eastern tropical Pacific can change global wind patterns, increase sinking motion over the Atlantic and, most importantly, strengthen vertical wind shear across the Caribbean and tropical Atlantic. That shear can tilt and disrupt tropical systems, making it especially difficult for long-lived major hurricanes to develop.

The conversation also covers why weak, short-lived storms like Arthur can still form during El Niño years. Phil explains that El Niño tends to suppress stronger storms more than weak tropical storms, especially in the deep tropics. That means the season can still produce impacts, especially from close-to-land or higher-latitude systems, even when the overall basin activity is expected to be lower.

Phil also discusses CSU’s forecasting process, including historical analog years, statistical models, climate model guidance, ACE, western Atlantic landfall probabilities and new AI-driven forecasting tools. He notes that the strongest El Niño impacts are typically felt later in the season, especially in September and October, when background shear increases and Caribbean development often becomes much less favorable.

The episode closes with a look back at Arthur’s real-time impacts along the Texas coast, a preview of Hal Needham’s upcoming Extreme Explorations documentary work, and a tease for next week’s guest, Mike Lowry.

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Into the Storm: Tracking Hurricanes with Mark Sudduth

When a hurricane makes landfall, the forecast tells us what may happen. But storm documentation shows us what actually happens — where wind, water and infrastructure meet in real time.

In this episode of HURRICANE CENTER, the hosts talk with Mark Sudduth of HurricaneTrack, one of the most recognized hurricane documentarians in the country. Through HurricaneTrack and the Hurricane Intercept Research Team, Sudduth has spent decades documenting tropical storms and hurricanes along the U.S. coast using field observations, remote cameras, specialized equipment and live storm coverage.

The conversation explores what it takes to prepare for a hurricane field deployment, how remote camera technology has changed storm coverage and why documenting landfall impacts matters for forecasters, emergency managers, media organizations and the public.

Hurricane coverage is not only about dramatic video. It is about helping people understand storm surge, destructive wind, flooding, power loss and the real-world consequences that happen where a hurricane comes ashore. By placing technology in the path of the storm, HurricaneTrack has helped bring audiences closer to hurricane impacts while reducing the need for people to be in dangerous locations during landfall.

In This Episode, You Will Learn

• How Mark Sudduth built HurricaneTrack into a hurricane documentation platform.
• Why remote cameras have changed the way hurricanes are covered.
• What goes into preparing for a landfall field deployment.
• How storm documentation can help the public understand hurricane impacts.
• Why real-time video and field observations matter beyond traditional forecasts.
• How technology can bring viewers closer to landfall without putting more people in danger.
• What HurricaneTrack has learned from years of documenting storms along the coast.

About the Guest

Mark Sudduth is the founder of HurricaneTrack and the Hurricane Intercept Research Team, which was founded in 1998 to collect data and report on hurricanes and tropical storms as they make landfall along the U.S. coast. HurricaneTrack uses specialized meteorological equipment, remotely operated video cameras and field documentation to capture hurricane impacts. Sudduth also joined FOX Weather as an exclusive storm tracker in 2022 and has nearly 30 years of experience documenting hurricanes and other high-impact weather events.

Key Listener Takeaway

Seeing hurricane impacts clearly can change how people understand risk. Forecasts tell us what could happen, but field documentation and remote cameras show the reality of landfall — storm surge, wind damage, flooding, infrastructure stress and the conditions people should avoid. HurricaneTrack helps connect the science of forecasting with the real-world consequences of the storm.

Resources

• HurricaneTrack
• Hurricane Intercept Research Team
• National Hurricane Center
• National Tropical Weather Conference
• HURRICANE CENTER podcast archive

About HURRICANE CENTER

HURRICANE CENTER takes listeners inside the science, decisions and real-world impacts of tropical storms and hurricanes. Featuring conversations with forecasters, researchers, emergency managers, storm documentarians and resilience experts, the podcast helps communities better understand hurricane risk and prepare before, during and after landfall.

A production of the National Tropical Weather Conference.

Follow and Share

Subscribe to HURRICANE CENTER wherever you listen to podcasts, and share this episode with someone who lives or works in hurricane country.

Suggest a topic or ask a question: alex@wxguide.com
Learn more about the National Tropical Weather Conference: HurricaneCenterLive.com

Support the show

Suggest a topic or ask a question: alex@wxguide.com
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How the National Hurricane Center Forecasts Hurricanes — Jamie Rhome

When a hurricane threatens, people want answers: Where will it go? How strong will it become? How much time is left to prepare? Behind every official forecast is a complex process involving satellite observations, aircraft data, computer guidance, emerging artificial intelligence tools and expert analysis.

In this episode of HURRICANE CENTER, the hosts speak with Jamie Rhome, Deputy Director of NOAA’s National Hurricane Center, about how hurricane forecasting and risk communication continue to evolve. The discussion explores improved observations and modeling, artificial intelligence guidance, rapid intensification, storm-surge forecasting and the importance of helping people understand the full range of hazards before a storm arrives.

Rhome also addresses one of the biggest communication challenges in hurricane preparedness: the public often focuses on a single category number or the center line of the forecast cone, while the greatest local risk may come from storm surge, flooding, destructive winds, extended power loss or waiting too long to act.

In This Episode, You Will Learn

• How the National Hurricane Center evaluates new forecasting tools and artificial intelligence guidance.
• Why better observations and modeling are important for forecasting hurricane structure and rapid intensification.
• How storm-surge forecasting is improving for coastal communities.
• What the forecast cone communicates — and what it does not.
• Why a storm category alone does not define local danger.
• How waiting for a more favorable forecast can reduce the time available to prepare.
• Why official, trusted information matters when a tropical threat develops.

About the Guest

Jamie Rhome is Deputy Director of NOAA’s National Hurricane Center in Miami. He helps guide the center’s long-term strategy, annual planning and operational execution. His NHC career has included work as a surface analyst, marine forecaster, hurricane specialist and storm-surge specialist.

Key Listener Takeaway

A hurricane forecast is not just about the projected path of the storm’s center. It is about understanding the hazards that may affect your location — including storm surge, flooding, wind, power outages and the shrinking window to make safe decisions. When a storm threatens, focus on official forecasts and local impacts rather than waiting for a forecast that feels less threatening.

About HURRICANE CENTER

HURRICANE CENTER takes listeners inside the science, decisions and real-world impacts of tropical storms and hurricanes. Featuring conversations with forecasters, researchers, emergency managers and resilience experts, the podcast helps communities better understand hurricane risk and prepare before, during and after landfall.

A production of the National Tropical Weather Conference.

Follow and Share

Subscribe to HURRICANE CENTER wherever you listen to podcasts, and share this episode with someone who lives or works in hurricane country.

Suggest a topic or ask a question: alex@wxguide.com
Learn more about the conference: HurricaneCenterLive.com

Support the show

Suggest a topic or ask a question: alex@wxguide.com
Visit our conference site: www.hurricanecenterlive.com

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When the Power Goes Out: Extreme Weather, Critical Infrastructure & Shared Intelligence — Sunny Wescott

A hurricane or extreme weather event does not end when the wind subsides or the rain moves away. When power, communications, transportation or supply chains are disrupted, communities can face cascading problems that continue long after the initial hazard has passed.

In this episode of HURRICANE CENTER, the hosts speak with Sunny Wescott, Chief Meteorologist and Executive Director of the Geospatial Intelligence Information Sharing and Analysis Center, GEOINT ISAC, about the hidden consequences of extreme weather and the importance of sharing information before disasters escalate.

The conversation explores how GEOINT ISAC supports collaboration by connecting decision-makers with studies, best practices, products and tools that can improve preparedness and critical-infrastructure resilience. Wescott also discusses the importance of creating open lines of communication across the emergency-management, weather and infrastructure communities, including the work of the Extreme Weather Information Network Group, Ex-Wing.

When the power goes out, the immediate impact may be obvious. But the deeper threat can involve the systems communities depend on every day: energy, telecommunications, emergency response, transportation and supply chains. Understanding those connections before a storm arrives can help communities make better decisions and recover more effectively.

In This Episode, You Will Learn

• Why extreme weather impacts can continue long after the immediate storm threat has passed.
• How power outages and infrastructure disruptions can create cascading risks for communities.
• What GEOINT ISAC does to encourage information sharing and improve resilience planning.
• Why studies, best practices, mapping products and operational tools must be shared across public and private sectors.
• How Ex-Wing supports communication and collaboration around extreme weather risk.
• Why preparedness requires understanding the systems people depend on, not only the forecast itself.

About the Guest

Sunny Wescott is a Chief Meteorologist specializing in extreme weather impacts to emergency response, supply chains and critical infrastructure. She serves as Executive Director of the Geospatial Intelligence Information Sharing and Analysis Center, GEOINT ISAC, where she supports actionable intelligence, collaborative workflows and risk analysis for critical-infrastructure and supply-chain resilience. Her current public biography also identifies her as Deputy Program Manager for FEMA’s National Hurricane Program. Listener Takeaway

A storm’s most dangerous impacts may not end at landfall. When electrical power, communications and other critical systems fail, the consequences can affect safety, emergency response and recovery. Sharing trusted information before a disaster is one of the most important tools communities have to reduce those cascading risks.

Resources Mentioned

• Geospatial Intelligence Information Sharing and Analysis Center, GEOINT ISAC
• Extreme Weather Information Network Group, Ex-Wing
• FEMA National Hurricane Program
• National Tropical Weather Conference
• HURRICANE CENTER podcast archive

About HURRICANE CENTER

HURRICANE CENTER takes listeners inside the science, decisions and real-world impacts of tropical storms and hurricanes. Featuring conversations with forecasters, researchers, emergency managers and resilience experts, the podcast helps communities better understand hurricane risk and prepare before, during and after landfall.

A production of the National Tropical Weather Conference.

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