Summer is right around the corner, and you know what that means.
Overcast skies after Hurricane Milton
We’re not talking about the heat and humidity that will make a summer Disney World trip make you feel like you’re stuck in a sauna that’s been turned up too high. We’re not even talking about those random rainstorms that do nothing more than just make it feel even MORE hot and humid. Nope, we’re talking about hurricane season, which starts from June and goes through November. Well, the 2026 hurricane season will be here before you know it, and the forecasts from the National Hurricane Center will look a little different.
This year, the NOAA’s National Hurricane Center (NHC) is implementing some new tools to help with forecasting hurricanes, including a new hurricane track forecast cone map. These cone graphics give a better understanding of a hurricane’s path. The improved cone graphic was tested last year, and helped to enable “inland communities to better understand and prepare for the danger posed by tropical cyclone winds.”
©NHC
Here’s what the new cone does:
- Combines all land-based tropical storm and hurricane watches and warnings for the continental U.S., Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
- Uses single shading for the entire 5-day forecast.
- The legend has symbols for areas where a hurricane watch and tropical storm warning are both in effect (the pink and blue lines)
- You will also be able to see full and intermediate Tropical Cyclone Advisories on hurricanes.gov.
Visitors leaving Magic Kingdom and EPCOT at the Transportation and Ticket Center during a hurricane
So, for example, if you were headed to Disney World, or ARE in Disney World during hurricane season, this cone could give you a good idea if you need to cancel or reschedule your trip, or if you’re already in Disney World, hunker down in your hotel and prepare for possible theme park closures. This could also alert you to the possibility of itinerary changes if you’re sailing on Disney Cruise Line in areas that may be affected.
Disney Wish at Castaway Cay
The NHC has also introduced a new experimental version of its Tropical Cyclone Forecast Cone. This cone shows where the hurricane is likely to go, based on past calculations. It will be available on the NHC website for full and intermediate advisories. The NHC has also developed new storm surge products for Hawaii (which could help you if you’re planning to visit Disney’s Aulani Resort). These new tools will:
- Give probability-based forecasts of water and storm surge levels up to three days before a hurricane arrives
- Figure in storm track, wind intensity, and wind radii in forecasts
- Offer this information publicly to all Hawaiian islands
Disney’s Aulani Resort
The NHC hopes these new tools will help keep those in the potential paths of hurricanes more informed and safe. We’ll be keeping an eye on hurricane season and how it affects Disney World, so stay tuned to DFB for more.
FULL List of 2026 Hurricane Names Released, and Disney Fans Spotted Some Familiar Characters
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Very nice overview. I can’t emphasize enough, if you’re in the area where we’re expecting impacts from a tropical storm, your BEST SOURCES for data are the local National Weather Service Warning and Forecast Office, and the National Hurricane Center. The entire NWS ecosystem is in constant communication, working with various areas and elements, as well as your local emergency managers to provide the best weather information and intelligence to everyone.
But: A thought for everyone. If there’s a WARNING issued, be it for hurricane, storm surge, severe thunderstorm, flash flood, or even winter storms, that means there’s really high confidence in the likelihood of the event. Watches are a call for preparation and planning. Warnings are a call to action. Get out of harms’ way, get to a safe room or facility, etc. Warnings are not the time to start wondering what you will do. Warnings mean there is limited time to take action, to stay safe.