Pick your tool
Hurricane Trackers Compared
Three ways to watch a storm: the National Hurricane Center for official forecasts, Windy for the big weather picture, and HurriTrack for a quick plain-English read. What each is actually for — and what none of them should be used for.
The official one
National Hurricane Center (nhc.noaa.gov)
The NHC is the source every other tracker repackages. It issues the official advisories, forecast cones, and wind-field probabilities that drive watches and warnings. Nothing on this page substitutes for it. The trade-off is presentation: the site is built for meteorologists and emergency managers, so a first-time visitor faces advisories, graphics and discussion products rather than a one-glance answer.
The map
Windy (windy.com)
Windy is the best-looking global weather map, full stop. Its wind, cloud and precipitation layers make the whole synoptic picture — shear, fronts, the dry air swallowing a storm — visible in a way text never will. But it is a general weather visualization, not a hurricane authority: it shows model output beautifully while issuing no tropical cyclone forecasts, cones, or advisories of its own.
The plain-English layer
HurriTrack
HurriTrack (this site) exists for the question the other two don’t answer directly: “what’s happening with Atlantic storms, in normal words, right now?” A live tracker with the current cone and plain-language summaries, plus guides like watch vs. warning and how to read the cone. It is supplementary by design — an awareness tool built on public NOAA/NHC data, not an official source.
At a glance
Which tracker for what
| Tracker | Best for | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| NHC (official) | Advisories, the cone, watches & warnings — every safety decision | Dense, technical presentation |
| Windy | The big-picture weather map: wind, clouds, shear, rain | No hurricane forecasts or advisories of its own |
| HurriTrack | Quick plain-English read of active Atlantic storms + explainers | Independent and supplementary — never a substitute for NHC |
During a storm
How to use them together
When a storm is active: start with HurriTrack or the NHC headline for “what’s the situation”; go to NHC for the official cone, timing, and any watch or warning affecting you; open Windy when you want to see the environment around the storm — the ridge steering it, the shear fighting it, the rain headed for your coast. And for what to actually do, your local National Weather Service office and emergency management outrank all three.
FAQ
Common questions
Is Windy a hurricane tracker?
Partly. It is a superb general weather map, but it does not issue hurricane forecasts or advisories. For official tropical cyclone information, use the National Hurricane Center.
What is the best free hurricane tracker?
For decisions, the NHC. Windy is the best free map for context; HurriTrack gives the quick plain-English read. Use them together.
Is HurriTrack an official source?
No — it is an independent awareness tool built on public NOAA/NHC data. Follow the NHC, the NWS, and local emergency management for any safety decision.
Next
See the live Atlantic tracker, learn what the cone of uncertainty actually shows, or check whether a storm threatens your area with will it hit me?.
Sources
Descriptions of each tool reflect their own published documentation and products. Guidance can change — follow your local emergency management for decisions where you are.
- National Hurricane Center — NOAA. https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
- Windy.com — About & features — Windy. https://www.windy.com/about
- Hurricane Safety: During a Hurricane Threat — NOAA / National Weather Service. https://www.weather.gov/safety/hurricane-action
HurriTrack is an independent guide for general awareness and is not an official source. For any safety decision, follow NHC, the National Weather Service and your local emergency management.