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How To Read The Forecast/Advisory


The Forecast/Advisory is generally composed of several easily identified sections. These sections if present in the advisory will always occur in the order specified here.

Click on each section title to see the section highlighted and read the brief description of the section contents in the example Forecast/Advisory from Hurricane Isabel.

The Basic Sections of the Forecast/Advisory

  1. WMO Header
  2. Storm Location
  3. Storm Movement
  4. Minimum Central Pressure
  5. Eye Size Estimate
  6. Max Sustained Wind, Wind Radii, and 4-Meter Wave Height Radii Section
  7. Repeat
  8. 12-Hour Forecast
  9. 24-Hour Forecast
  10. 36-Hour Forecast
  11. 48-Hour Forecast
  12. 60-Hour Forecast
  13. 72-Hour Forecast
  14. 96-Hour Forecast
  15. 120-Hour Forecast
  16. Request for Ship Reports
  17. Next Advisory
Click here to highlight all of the basic sections.
WTNT23 KNHC 102156
TCMAT3

HURRICANE LEE FORECAST/ADVISORY NUMBER 22
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL132023
2100 UTC SUN SEP 10 2023

HURRICANE CENTER LOCATED NEAR 22.1N 61.7W AT 10/2100Z
POSITION ACCURATE WITHIN 15 NM

PRESENT MOVEMENT TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST OR 300 DEGREES AT 7 KT

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE 959 MB
EYE DIAMETER 20 NM
MAX SUSTAINED WINDS 105 KT WITH GUSTS TO 120 KT.
64 KT....... 40NE 35SE 30SW 40NW.
50 KT....... 90NE 70SE 50SW 80NW.
34 KT.......150NE 140SE 100SW 140NW.
4 M SEAS....300NE 180SE 240SW 300NW.
WINDS AND SEAS VARY GREATLY IN EACH QUADRANT. RADII IN NAUTICAL
MILES ARE THE LARGEST RADII EXPECTED ANYWHERE IN THAT QUADRANT.

REPEAT...CENTER LOCATED NEAR 22.1N 61.7W AT 10/2100Z
AT 10/1800Z CENTER WAS LOCATED NEAR 21.9N 61.4W

FORECAST VALID 11/0600Z 22.7N 62.7W
MAX WIND 115 KT...GUSTS 140 KT.
64 KT... 50NE 40SE 35SW 50NW.
50 KT... 90NE 80SE 50SW 80NW.
34 KT...150NE 140SE 100SW 140NW.

FORECAST VALID 11/1800Z 23.3N 63.9W
MAX WIND 120 KT...GUSTS 145 KT.
64 KT... 50NE 50SE 35SW 50NW.
50 KT... 90NE 80SE 60SW 80NW.
34 KT...150NE 150SE 110SW 140NW.


24-Hour Forecast Section

This section gives the 24-hour forecast for the tropical cyclone's position, the maximum sustained wind and gusts, and an estimate of the size of the wind field using the same threshold wind values as in the Wind and Wave Radii section. As before, the map coordinates of the wind field are compass directions and radial distances out from the center of the storm in nautical miles.

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FORECAST VALID 12/0600Z 23.8N 65.1W
MAX WIND 120 KT...GUSTS 145 KT.
64 KT... 60NE 60SE 40SW 50NW.
50 KT... 90NE 90SE 70SW 80NW.
34 KT...150NE 150SE 120SW 140NW.

FORECAST VALID 12/1800Z 24.2N 66.2W
MAX WIND 115 KT...GUSTS 140 KT.
64 KT... 60NE 50SE 40SW 50NW.
50 KT... 90NE 90SE 70SW 80NW.
34 KT...160NE 160SE 120SW 150NW.

FORECAST VALID 13/0600Z 24.7N 67.0W
MAX WIND 105 KT...GUSTS 130 KT.
64 KT... 60NE 50SE 40SW 50NW.
50 KT...100NE 100SE 80SW 80NW.
34 KT...170NE 170SE 130SW 160NW.

FORECAST VALID 13/1800Z 25.6N 67.6W
MAX WIND 100 KT...GUSTS 120 KT.
64 KT... 60NE 50SE 40SW 50NW.
50 KT...100NE 90SE 80SW 90NW.
34 KT...180NE 180SE 140SW 180NW.

EXTENDED OUTLOOK. NOTE...ERRORS FOR TRACK HAVE AVERAGED NEAR 125 NM
ON DAY 4 AND 175 NM ON DAY 5...AND FOR INTENSITY NEAR 15 KT EACH DAY

OUTLOOK VALID 14/1800Z 28.9N 68.0W
MAX WIND 90 KT...GUSTS 110 KT.
50 KT...110NE 100SE 90SW 100NW.
34 KT...200NE 200SE 160SW 200NW.

OUTLOOK VALID 15/1800Z 33.6N 67.4W
MAX WIND 80 KT...GUSTS 100 KT.
50 KT...120NE 100SE 90SW 90NW.
34 KT...210NE 200SE 160SW 200NW.

REQUEST FOR 3 HOURLY SHIP REPORTS WITHIN 300 MILES OF 22.1N 61.7W

NEXT ADVISORY AT 11/0300Z

FORECASTER BROWN