NEW Tech Will Help Experts Track Storms More Accurately Ahead of 'Potentially Explosive' Hurricane Season

Planning a Disney World trip can be pretty overwhelming — especially when you have to worry about severe storms.

Storm view from aboard Disney Cruise Line

Hurricane season is expected to be worse this year than what we’ve seen in the past, and we’ve been doing our best to bring you the latest news and planning tips you need to know if you’ll be heading to Disney World during that time. But, it’s not all bad news, as experts are now using new technology that helps predict storms more accurately.

Hurricane season runs from the beginning of June through the end of November, and experts are now predicting it will be “potentially explosive.” The forecast is calling for 20 to 25 named storms, with between eight and 12 of those strengthening into hurricanes. Four to six of the storms could potentially directly impact the United States. On average, the season typically has 14 named storms.

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But, new technology has been developed that helps experts more accurately predict hurricanes. According to The Orlando Sentinel, Hurricane Analysis and Forecast Systems — known as HAFS — is a computer model that went fully operational last year.

Bill Ramstrom, senior software engineer at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), who helped develop HAFS, said, “It performed very well last year… We were very happy with how the numbers looked with it.”

Rainy Day in Magic Kingdom

An important part of the model is its improved “grid,” or “nest” that it runs on. The nest provides more accurate and higher-resolution data to the model. “Just like with your phone, if you get more pixels in your camera, you get a nicer-looking photo,” Ramstrom shared. “We have the same sort of idea of simulating the hurricane.”

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Up until recently, most hurricane tracking models lacked the computer power and resolution needed to make these forecasts. But, NOAA implemented new weather and climate supercomputers in 2022, giving them the power to now create these new high-resolution forecasts.

Not only that, but the new HAFS system works. Since it debuted in 2019, “HAFS has shown an improvement in track predictions for storms by 10 to 15%.” In 2022, the only model to correctly predict the period of rapid intensification we saw with Hurricane Ian was HAFS.

Magic Kingdom during Hurricane Idalia 2023

The Sun Sentinel reports that in 2023, we saw 20 named storms with seven hurricanes. Idalia was the only named storm to make landfall when it struck the Big Bend area of Florida as a Category 3 storm. AccuWeather lead forecaster Alex DaSilva said, “All indications are pointing toward a very active and potentially explosive Atlantic hurricane season in 2024.”

Rainy Day at Animal Kingdom

Of course, these are all just predictions for now, but it’s still important to be prepared for anything if you’ll be traveling to Disney World during hurricane season. Disney World is always prepared during a hurricane and typically makes your stay in one of the hotels fun and memorable (as well as safe, of course).

Rainy day in Magic Kingdom

Stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog as we continue to bring you the latest news, tips, and more updates about visiting Disney World during hurricane season.

6 Essentials You Need to Conquer Hurricane Season in Disney World

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