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Guide to Tracking the Eye of the Hurricane

Tracking and plotting the progress of a hurricane is a hobby for some and a matter of life or death for others. The National Hurricane Center provides expert tracking information, and its hurricane hunters fly into the eye of the storm to relay important data. The hurricane season in the Atlantic starts June 1 and ends November 30 each year. In the Eastern Pacific region it runs from May until November.

Tools
- Methods for tracking hurricanes are always evolving as meteorologists look for more precise ways of predicting what force a hurricane will gather, and which direction it will travel in. The eye of the hurricane is its center of energy, capable of inflicting extreme damage on areas it passes over. Meteorologists use satellites, radar and reconnaissance aircraft to follow a hurricane's progress. However, human observation from weather stations positioned throughout hurricane zones also provides important data and warnings. Downloadable software is available to purchase, or on some sites free of charge, so that anyone can track a hurricane.
Distance
- Knowing where the hurricane is and the direction it is traveling in is most important. Plotting NHC information about the current latitude and longitude of the eye and your own location coordinates shows you how close the hurricane is in miles. Another NHC data tool will show you the closest point of approach to a location over a five-day period. Hurricane paths are notoriously difficult to predict, and the Caribbean Hurricane Network points out that there can be many inaccuracies with this tool, especially at the 48-hour and 72-hour hurricane positions.
Speed and Time
- Tracking the speed of the hurricane is an important element in calculating when the eye is likely to make landfall. Enter information about the hurricane's forward speed and the speed of the wind fields surrounding the eye to get an idea of timing. Most hurricane time forecasts are given in local time, such as AST or EST. However, some use Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). UTC is the same as Greenwich Mean Time and is sometimes expressed as Zulu time, as in 18:00 Z.
Marine Advisories
- Reading the Marine Advisories published by the national weather service provides up-to-date information on a hurricane's progress. These tell you the diameter of the eye, the maximum wind speeds near the center and the shape of the storm. The reconnaissance reports published by the NHC are also essential reading, although they do require some decoding. The reports have information labeled A to Q. The information on line B gives the coordinates for the hurricane vortex, and line L provides a brief description of the appearance of the eye of the hurricane.

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