Understanding Storms in the Gulf of Mexico: Hurricane Threats and Impacts Graphics

The Gulf of Mexico is a region frequently impacted by tropical cyclones, commonly known as hurricanes and tropical storms. For residents and visitors in this area, understanding the potential threats and impacts from these storms is crucial for safety and preparedness. To aid in this understanding, local Weather Forecast Offices (WFOs) issue Hurricane Threats and Impacts (HTI) graphics whenever tropical cyclone conditions threaten. These graphics are vital tools for visualizing potential hazards and making informed decisions to protect life and property when a Storm In Gulf Of Mexico approaches.

What are Hurricane Threats and Impacts (HTI) Graphics?

Hurricane Threats and Impacts (HTI) graphics are specialized visual products created by local Weather Forecast Offices (WFOs) when any part of their designated land area is under a tropical cyclone wind and/or storm surge watch or warning. These graphics are not static; WFOs update them with each new forecast issued by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) or Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC). This ensures the graphics reflect the most current projections for a storm in gulf of mexico or elsewhere, and they are maintained until the local threats from these hazards have subsided.

It’s essential to understand that hurricane paths and intensities can change unexpectedly. Even slight deviations in a storm’s actual track, size, or strength compared to the forecast can drastically alter its impacts on coastal communities. HTI graphics address this uncertainty by implicitly using probability data. They use a color-coded system to depict potential hazard levels, ranging from minimal to extreme, and are accompanied by descriptions of potential impacts. This approach helps individuals and communities understand not just the most likely scenario, but also a reasonable safety margin to account for forecast errors. Therefore, HTI graphics are designed to guide effective preparedness actions based on a comprehensive assessment of the storm in gulf of mexico and its potential risks.

What Hazards are Described by the HTI Graphics for a Storm in Gulf of Mexico?

The HTI graphics suite comprehensively addresses four primary hazards associated with a storm in gulf of mexico and other tropical cyclones: tropical wind, storm surge, flooding rain, and tornadoes. Figure 1 provides examples of each hazard-based HTI graphic, overlaid with the NHC Cone Graphic (using Hurricane Irma from 2017 as an example). It is important to note the critical difference between the Cone Graphic and HTI graphics. The Cone Graphic only indicates the most probable path of the storm’s center and offers limited insight into the breadth and severity of potential impacts. In contrast, HTI graphics are specifically designed to show the geographic extent of each hazard, along with its level of threat and potential consequences. Often, the impacts of a storm extend far beyond the area indicated by the Cone Graphic alone, making HTI graphics an indispensable tool for understanding the full scope of risks associated with a storm in gulf of mexico.

The HTI color scale is designed to be intuitive, using a warm-to-hot color progression to represent increasing levels of threat. This visual representation allows for quick and easy interpretation of the potential danger associated with each hazard.

| [Tornado Threat Figure 1] |
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| Figure 1. Example HTI Graphics illustrating tropical wind, storm surge, flooding rain, and tornado hazards (left to right) from Hurricane Irma in 2017. |

Let’s examine the wind graphic (Figure 1, left) as an example. Areas depicted in purple are not just forecast to potentially experience winds greater than 110 mph; rather, the purple color indicates that these locations should prepare for the possibility of winds exceeding 110 mph. This designation accounts for both the forecast itself and the inherent uncertainties in forecasting. In simpler terms, when a location is colored purple on the wind threat graphic for a storm in gulf of mexico, it signifies a threat of major hurricane force winds, Category 3 or higher. Similarly, red areas indicate a threat of hurricane force winds between 74-110 mph (Category 1 or 2). This same principle—representing a “reasonable worst-case scenario” by incorporating forecast error—is applied to the depiction of storm surge, flooding rain, and tornado threats in the HTI graphics. The overarching goal of HTI graphics is to facilitate more effective preparedness actions by conveying potential risks in an accessible and actionable format, especially when facing a storm in gulf of mexico. For further information on hurricane preparedness, resources like ready.gov/hurricanes are invaluable, and it is always crucial to heed the guidance of local officials during a hurricane event.

How to Access HTI Graphics for a Storm in Gulf of Mexico

When a storm in gulf of mexico or any tropical cyclone threatens your area, accessing the HTI Graphics webpage is straightforward. The primary web portal to access the HTI Graphics suite is: weather.gov/srh/tropical. You can also reach it through most coastal WFO websites by navigating through weather.gov and clicking on your region of interest on the map. During active hurricane or tropical storm events, links to the HTI graphics will be prominently displayed on the front pages of most WFO websites, ensuring quick and easy access to critical information when you need it most during a storm in gulf of mexico.

Upon reaching the portal, you will find tabs at the top of the page, as illustrated in Figure 2.

To view HTI information, click on the “Threats and Impacts” tab. This will display the HTI graphics, similar to the example on the left side of Figure 3. By default, the wind hazard graphic is initially shown. However, you can easily switch between different hazard graphics (storm surge, flooding rain, tornadoes) by selecting the corresponding radio buttons located just above the graphic. This user-friendly interface allows you to quickly assess the range of threats associated with a storm in gulf of mexico.

[Figure 3]
Figure 3. Breakdown of graphical information on the tropical web portal during tropical cyclone wind or storm surge watches and/or warnings.

• Hazard Selection and Threat Maps: To view a specific hazard, simply select it. The corresponding threat map, assessed by the local WFO, will be displayed. Each hazard map includes a unique color-coded legend to aid interpretation. Remember, these maps are designed to convey what potential conditions to protect against at each location. They incorporate both the latest forecast and a safety margin to enhance readiness, responsiveness, and resilience when facing a storm in gulf of mexico. For safety, the maps depict a reasonable worst-case scenario.

• Location-Specific Information: Once a threat map is displayed, you can click on any location on the map to get detailed, current hazard information for that specific site and its surrounding area. This location-specific information is drawn from local text products and is presented to the right of the map. The information includes forecast parameters relevant to each hazard, answering the critical questions of what, where, when, how much, and how long the hazard is expected to last.

• Potential Impact Descriptions: Clicking on a map location also brings up pop-up descriptions of potential impacts. These descriptions detail the likely consequences if the hazard were to materialize to the potential level depicted on the graphic. These text descriptions are developed locally, often with input from emergency management officials, making the threat information more relatable and actionable. They convey what potential impacts to prepare for, helping individuals and communities understand the real-world consequences of a storm in gulf of mexico.

It is crucial to reiterate that the HTI map is not a simple forecast map for the selected hazard. Instead, it represents the forecast integrated with a safety margin to account for potential forecast errors. Consequently, the text information on the right side of the screen, which describes the latest forecast (without the safety margin), may not always perfectly align with the map on the left (which includes the safety margin). Always prioritize the information on the HTI map for preparedness decisions when a storm in gulf of mexico is approaching.

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Hurricane Threats and Impacts Graphics FAQ