Hurricane and Tropical Storm Watch/Warning Breakpoints (Text)

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Hurricane and Tropical Storm Watch/Warning Breakpoints (Text)

Coastal areas placed under tropical storm and hurricane watches and warnings are identified through the use of "breakpoints." A tropical cyclone breakpoint is defined as an agreed upon coastal location that can be chosen as one of two specific end points or designated places between which a tropical storm/hurricane watch/warning is in effect. The U.S. National Weather Service designates the locations along the U.S. East, Gulf, and California coasts, Puerto Rico, and Hawaii.

Individual countries across the Caribbean, Central America, and South America provide coastal locations for their areas of responsibility to the U.S. National Weather Service for the National Hurricane Center's use in tropical cyclone advisories when watches/warnings are issued by international partners. The National Hurricane Center maintains a list of pre-arranged breakpoints for the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf coasts, Mexico, Cuba and the Bahamas. Other sites are unofficial and sites not on the list can be selected if conditions warrant.

(Graphics current as of 24 April 2009.)

U.S. Gulf Coast large	U.S. Southeast large	U.S. Mid-Atlantic large
U.S. Chesapeake Bay large	U.S. Northeast large	U.S. Puerto Rico large
Mexico large	Middle Americas large	Caribbean large
Cuba large	Hispaniola large	Hawaii/CPHC* large

* These breakpoints are maintained and managed by the Central Pacific Hurricane Center, located in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Note: The same information on this page exists in the official National Weather Service Instruction 10-605 (pdf format) and includes pronunciation guides.

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Page last modified: Friday, 24-Apr-2009 15:50:16 GMT