Hurricane

Hurricane cone of uncertainty will look a little different in 2026 storm season

By Bill Kearney South Florida Sun Sentinel
This map shows the experimental cone in white, which indicates a 90% chance of containing the storm’s path, compared to the standard cone in red, which indicates a 67% chance of containing the storm’s path.
This map shows the experimental cone in white, which indicates a 90% chance of containing the storm’s path, compared to the standard cone in red, which indicates a 67% chance of containing the storm’s path. National Hurricane Center

Michael Brennan, director of the National Hurricane Center, revealed the center’s new cone of uncertainty this week at the Governor’s Hurricane Conference in West Palm Beach, as well as an experimental cone that will be more definitive about storm tracks.

The cone for the 2026 hurricane season will feature several new graphics elements, including colors that show inland impacts, such as inland tropical storm and hurricane wind watches.

For example, a map that once had red for hurricane-force winds on the coast will now show red as far inland as the NHC thinks hurricane winds will penetrate.

Read the full story at Sun-Sentinel.com

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