The National Hurricane Center’s new forecast cone will warn more people if they’re in the path of a storm. What you need to know

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Hurricane Center (NHC) is redesigning its most recognizable—some would say iconic—”cone” graphic for the 2026 hurricane season. Other product upgrades include improvements to Hawaii’s storm surge watches and warnings.

“These improvements empower communities to prepare earlier and more effectively for dangerous hazards from tropical storms and hurricanes,” Michael Brennan, director of NOAA’s National Hurricane Center, said in a statement.

The updates come as climate change brings warmer global temperatures and rising sea levels, leading to more extreme weather events including longer, more intense hurricane seasons, heatwaves, storms, flooding, and even colder winter weather in some parts of the country.

Here’s what to know.

What’s happening?

The NHC’s new 2026 forecast cone will now include tropical storms and hurricane watches and warnings for inland areas—not just coastal areas—”in effect for the whole continental United States, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.”

The additional information enables people in areas further inland to better understand and prepare for the dangers posed by hazardous winds associated with hurricanes and tropical storms, without complicating the graphic with too many extra layers.

Key feature updates coming for the 2026 hurricane season

Some key features of the updated 2026 cone include a legend that will show symbols for where a hurricane watch and tropical storm warning are simultaneously in effect (represented by diagonal pink and blue lines); a new icon with single shading for the entire 5-day outlook cone; and full and intermediate tropical cyclone advisories that will be available on hurricanes.gov.

One note: In rare circumstances, a “preliminary” cone with only coastal U.S. watches and warnings may be posted until a final version with inland U.S. watches and warnings is available.

New Hawaii storm surge watches and warnings

The new rollout includes storm surge watches and warnings for the Hawaiian Islands, including a peak storm surge graphic expanding the NHC’s storm surge products beyond the East Coast and Gulf of America coastline, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

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