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We receive an enormous amount of email, particularly during a tropical cyclone landfalling event. We read every question that is sent to us, but the sheer volume means that we may not be able to reply to everyone. If you have a question that you would like to send to us, we ask that you first review our Extremely Frequently Asked Questions before you send your question to us.

The NHC Extremely Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have a tropical cyclone named for me?

We do not control the naming of tropical storms. Instead, a list of names has been established by an international committee of the United Nations World Meteorological Organization (http://www.wmo.ch). For Atlantic hurricanes, there is actually one list for each of six years. In other words, one list is repeated every seventh year. The only time that there is a change is if a storm is so deadly or costly that the future use of its name on a different storm would be inappropriate for obvious reasons of sensitivity. If that occurs, then at an annual meeting by the committee (called primarily to discuss many other issues) the offending name is stricken from the list and another name is selected to replace it. More information on the names used for tropical cyclones worldwide can be found here.

I'm vacationing in the Caribbean / Bahamas / Central America / Miami or elsewhere in the tropics during hurricane season. What's my chance of getting hit by a hurricane?

The Tropical Cyclone Frequently Asked Questions (which by the way is an excellent reference and starting place for learning about tropical cyclones) has the answer to this: http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/G15.html. Additionally, NOAA's Coastal Risk Atlas helps hurricane preparedness efforts by providing the data and methodology necessary to conduct vulnerability assessments for the coastal United States.

I can't seem to get the latest information from the website. Can you help?

There are a few common problems that can keep you from getting the latest information. See this page for some suggestions on troubleshooting before you contact us. If you're unsure on when the next advisory is scheduled to be released, note that the time is given at the bottom of the latest Public Advisory and the Forecast/Advisory, both linked from the NHC homepage. Also see our Hurricane Preparedness section on the tropical cyclone forecasting process.

How do I understand the advisories? Where can I get definitions of the terminology used in them?

Start with our help pages: We also offer two Glossaries and a list of commonly used acronyms and abbreviations: The latter is an extensive list of weather-related terms.

I heard that there is a tropical cyclone somewhere in the Atlantic / Caribbean / Gulf of Mexico / Eastern Pacific. How can I find out if I am at risk?

What you need to do is to go back to the NHC homepage (click on the National Hurricane Center title logo at the top of the page for a shortcut back) and look at the graphics for each storm that's currently active to see if it looks like it may be headed your way. Read the latest advisories for more information.

Also note that if you live in the United States and a tropical cyclone is threatening your part of the coastline then the local NWS Weather Forecast Offices will issue Hurricane Local Statements if their areas are threatened. These Hurricane Local Statements will also be linked directly from the NHC homepage as appropriate for each storm. From them you can find detailed local information tailored specifically for your area. We also offer a list of the official Emergency Management websites on a per-state basis from the NHC homepage (look for the "Visit your state EM Office" under the Hurricane Preparedness logo on the homepage).

I have a homework/research question. Can you help me?

Possibly, but note that during the hurricane season we are extremely busy. This means that we probably will not be able to get to your question for some time (and that can be days to weeks depending on what's going on in the tropics). With that in mind, here are some excellent sources of information on tropical cyclones that may help you find your answers:
Also note the links in the two sections on the left side of this page, in the blue bar, under Learn About Hurricanes and Hurricane History for even more information.

Ok, I've read through everything thus far and you've still not answered my question!

We have two email addresses that you can use, please select the appropriate one for your question based on the following criteria:

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Page last modified: Friday, 24-Aug-2007 19:15:44 GMT