Track active hurricanes and tropical storms right now, with NHC cones and warnings
1 activeThe hurricane tracker shows no hurricanes active right now, and 1 tropical storm or depression is being tracked. By area: Atlantic 0, Eastern Pacific 0, Central Pacific 1. Below: where it is, who is under watches and warnings, and what to do.
Where the systems are
Tracked storms, forecast tracks and cones. Tropical alerts show as outlines.
Active now
Events that meet official criteria.
Tropical Depression Pena
United States · Updated Nov 12
Tropical Depression Pena tracker with the official NHC position, forecast cone, winds, alerts and what to do now. Updated with every advisory.
Check your location
See which alerts apply where you are, and what to do for each. ZIP code or city, no sign-up.
Use my current locationOfficial alerts now
What could be next
The Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, and activity usually peaks from mid-August through October. The eastern Pacific season starts May 15. A named storm can form quickly from a disturbance, so the outlook below is the earliest signal.
See the full tropical weather outlook · Strongest hurricanes on record · Hurricanes by region: Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, New York, Puerto Rico, Hawaii · Past hurricane seasons · Hurricane names
Hurricane watch vs warning
| Alert | What it means |
|---|---|
| Hurricane Watch | Hurricane conditions are possible in the area, usually within 48 hours. Start preparing. |
| Hurricane Warning | Hurricane conditions are expected, usually within 36 hours. Finish preparations and follow local officials. |
| Tropical Storm Watch | Tropical storm conditions (sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph) are possible within 48 hours. |
| Tropical Storm Warning | Tropical storm conditions are expected within 36 hours. |
| Storm Surge Warning | Life-threatening rise in water above normally dry ground is expected, usually within 36 hours. |
Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale
The category describes wind only. Storm surge and inland flooding are often the deadliest hazards, so a lower category does not mean a safe storm.
| Category | Sustained winds | Typical wind damage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 74 to 95 mph | Very dangerous winds will produce some damage |
| 2 | 96 to 110 mph | Extremely dangerous winds will cause extensive damage |
| 3 (major) | 111 to 129 mph | Devastating damage will occur |
| 4 (major) | 130 to 156 mph | Catastrophic damage will occur |
| 5 (major) | 157 mph or higher | Catastrophic damage will occur |
What to do
General steps in the order you will need them. Enter your location for steps matched to your actual alerts.
Get ready
Now
The NWS says high winds can blow objects around and pose a significant threat to your safety.
Source: NWS: High windIf you are in a flood-prone or low-lying area, get to higher ground immediately when water starts to rise.
Source: NWS: During a floodFind out whether you live in a hurricane evacuation area by contacting your local government or emergency management office.
Source: NWS: Hurricane planStore one gallon of water per person per day for several days, non-perishable food, medications, a radio, a flashlight and phone chargers.
Source: Ready.gov: Build a kit
Decide
If conditions worsen
Evacuate immediately when water starts to rise. If told to leave, go right away. Follow orders from local emergency management.
Source: NWS: During a floodLeave immediately if ordered to evacuate. Storm surge has historically been the leading cause of hurricane-related deaths in the U.S. We do not decide evacuations. Your local emergency management does.
Source: NWS: Hurricane action
Ride it out
During
The NWS notes that winds sustained at 40 to 50 mph can cause isolated wind damage. Follow your local NWS office for instructions.
Source: NWS: High windIt is never safe to drive or walk into flood waters. Six inches of fast-moving water can knock over an adult, and twelve inches of rushing water can carry away most cars. Never drive around the barriers blocking a flooded road.
Source: NWS: Turn Around Don't DrownThe NWS says high winds can blow objects around and pose a significant threat to your safety. Check your local NWS office for instructions.
Source: NWS: High windIf you are not ordered to evacuate, take refuge in a small interior room, closet or hallway on the lowest level, away from windows. If the eye passes over, the calm is short and winds return rapidly from the opposite direction.
Source: NWS: Hurricane action
Recover
After, once it is safe
Stay clear of fallen power lines and report them to the electric company.
Source: CDC: Returning Home After a Natural DisasterStay out of floodwater and do not drive through flooded areas. Return home only when local authorities say it is safe.
Source: CDC: Returning Home After a Natural DisasterStay out of floodwater, stay clear of fallen power lines, and return home only when local authorities say it is safe.
Source: CDC: Returning Home After a Natural DisasterNever use a generator inside your home or garage, even with doors and windows open. Run it only outdoors, more than 20 feet from windows, doors and vents.
Source: CDC: Carbon monoxide
Guides
All hurricane guides →Hurricane watch vs warning
A hurricane watch means hurricane conditions are possible and a warning means they are expected. Here is what to do in each, from official sources.
Storm intensityHurricane categories 1 to 5, explained
There are five hurricane categories, from Category 1 at 74 mph to Category 5 at 157 mph or higher, with wind speeds in mph, knots and km/h from the NHC.
Storm intensityTropical depression vs tropical storm vs hurricane
See the wind speed that separates a tropical depression, a tropical storm and a hurricane, and what comes before and after each stage.
ImpactsWhat is storm surge?
What storm surge is, why it can flood coastal areas far from a hurricane's forecast track, and why the cone and the category do not show surge risk.
Forecast modelsHow spaghetti models work
Spaghetti model lines show many possible hurricane tracks. See why they spread out and why no single line is the official forecast.
Forecast modelsEuropean and GFS hurricane models, and which one is more accurate
The European (ECMWF) and American (GFS) hurricane models explained, what the NHC found about their accuracy, and why the official forecast comes first.
PreparingHurricane preparedness checklist
Get ready for a hurricane with this NWS and Ready.gov checklist: know your zone, build a kit, make a family plan, review insurance and protect windows.
Staying safeWhat to do in a hurricane warning
Evacuate if ordered, know where to shelter if you stay, and watch for dangers beyond the wind in a hurricane warning. From NWS guidance.
PreparingHow to make a hurricane evacuation plan
How to make a hurricane evacuation plan before an order comes: check your zone, pick more than one place to go, plan for pets and keep a go bag.
PreparingHurricane evacuation zones: what they mean and how to find yours
What a hurricane evacuation zone is, how to find yours, and what an evacuation order means. Zones are set locally; this guide points to official lookups.
PreparingHurricane shelters: how to find one and what to bring
How to find a shelter before a hurricane, what the Red Cross says to bring, why a mobile home is not safe shelter, and what to do if you stay home.
PreparingSecuring your home and yard before a hurricane
Secure your home, yard and belongings before a hurricane the way FEMA and NOAA advise, including what not to do with window tape.
RecoveringHow to stay safe after a hurricane during cleanup
Is it safe to go back after a hurricane? Ready.gov guidance for the first days: floodwater, electrical hazards, cleanup gear, phone use and documenting damage.
RecoveringReturning home after a storm or flood
Check that your home is safe to enter after a storm or flood: structure, power, gas, water and mold, plus cleanup steps, from CDC guidance.
RecoveringFood safety after a power outage or flood
Know how long food stays safe without power, what to throw away after an outage or flood, and how to make water safe to drink, from USDA.
RecoveringInsurance claims and FEMA help after a disaster
Start your insurance claim, document the damage and apply for FEMA individual assistance with this first-steps guide, from FEMA guidance.
Recent events
Common questions about hurricanes
What is the difference between a hurricane watch and a warning?
A watch means hurricane conditions are possible, usually within 48 hours. A warning means they are expected, usually within 36 hours. Both come from the National Hurricane Center and local forecast offices.
How often does the National Hurricane Center update a storm?
Public advisories for Atlantic storms are normally issued every six hours, at 5 AM, 11 AM, 5 PM and 11 PM Eastern Daylight Time (4 AM, 10 AM, 4 PM and 10 PM Eastern Standard Time in winter). When coastal watches or warnings are in effect, intermediate advisories come every three hours. Source: National Hurricane Center.
How many hurricanes are active right now?
The count is in the first line of this page and changes with each National Hurricane Center advisory. It covers the Atlantic and the eastern Pacific, where the National Hurricane Center issues advisories, and the central Pacific, covered by the Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Storms in other ocean basins, such as typhoons in the western Pacific, come from other countries' weather agencies (National Hurricane Center).
Is there a hurricane near Florida, in the Gulf of Mexico or near Hawaii right now?
Look at the map and the list at the top of this page: any active system near those coasts appears there with its official forecast cone. Our Florida, Texas, Louisiana and Hawaii pages show the tropical alerts for each place.
What is the most accurate hurricane tracker?
The official forecast from the National Hurricane Center. Spaghetti models and apps draw on the same computer models, but the NHC forecaster picks and weights them, so use the official track and cone and treat single model lines as context. Our tracker shows the NHC forecast and links to it.
Does the hurricane category tell me how dangerous it is?
Only for wind. Storm surge and rainfall flooding cause most of the deaths in hurricanes, and they can be severe in a weaker storm.
What is the cone of a hurricane?
The cone of uncertainty is the popular name for the National Hurricane Center forecast cone, which represents the probable track of the center of the storm. The circles are sized so that two-thirds of past official forecast errors fall within them. It shows where the center may travel, not how large the storm is, and impacts can extend well beyond the cone.
What are the 5 hurricane categories?
Category 1: 74 to 95 mph. Category 2: 96 to 110 mph. Category 3: 111 to 129 mph. Category 4: 130 to 156 mph. Category 5: 157 mph or higher. Categories 3, 4 and 5 are major hurricanes. The scale measures sustained wind only (National Hurricane Center).