How can a hurricane be tracked?

The team can cover up to five storm missions per day, anywhere from the mid-Atlantic to Hawaii. The Hurricane Hunters gather information about wind speeds, rainfall and barometric pressures within the storm. They then relay this information back to the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Fla. read more

If a pressure system slows down or speeds up, for instance, it can change the forecast track for the hurricane. Computer models simply can't consider every possible variable. Even though hurricane tracking isn't perfect, it is better than it used to be. read more

But hurricanes are particularly tricky to track. “We’re always waiting for the next curve ball,” said Frank Giannasca, a senior forecaster for The Weather Company. Hurricanes are tracked in several ways: Via satellite, reconnaissance aircraft and balloons that collect data including temperature, humidity and wind speed. read more