Prepare for Hurricane Season: Stay informed about a storm

PUBLIC NOTICE

BOLIVIA, N.C. – How do you plan to stay informed about severe weather events during the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season? It’s important to have multiple ways to receive reliable and credible sources of weather and public safety information before, during, and after a tropical event.

Have trusted sources for storm information. Rely on official forecasts from the National Weather Service (NWS) and well-established media partners. Be cautious of sensational headlines and instead look for reliable sources to determine a storm's potential impacts.

Get Notifications

Know the Terms and Categories

Make sure you know the terminology commonly used by weather professionals and public safety officials in forecasts and alerts.

In general, a Watch means impacts are possible and you should prepare for the storm; a Warning means impacts are expected or happening and you should immediately take action (e.g., seek shelter or evacuate).

Hurricane categories are based on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, which is a 1 to 5 rating based only on a hurricane's maximum sustained wind speed. This helps estimate potential property damage along a hurricane’s path.

• Category One: Wind speeds between 74-95 miles per hour (119-153 km/h). Very dangerous winds will produce some damage.
• Category Two: Wind speeds between 96-110 miles per hour (154-177 km/h). Extremely dangerous winds will cause extensive damage.
• Category Three (major): Wind speeds between 111-129 miles per hour (178-208 km/h). Devastating damage will occur.
• Category Four (major): Wind speeds between 130-156 miles per hour (209-251 km/h). Catastrophic damage will occur.
• Category Five (major): Wind speeds of 157 miles per hour or higher (252 km/h or higher). Catastrophic damage will occur.

Do not solely focus on a specific storm category or the location of the Forecast Cone. All hurricanes and tropical storms can bring deadly hazards such as storm surge, inland flooding, tornadoes, and damaging winds, and the storm itself as well as the storm impacts can stretch well beyond the Forecast Cone. The storm's scale only tells you about the strongest winds near the center of the storm and does not tell you about potentially life-threatening flooding from storm surge or rain. Remain vigilant even if the winds have weakened and the storm becomes a lower category or tropical storm; impacts from rainfall and storm surge often continue.

For more hurricane preparedness tips, visit BrunswickCountyNC.gov/Hurricanes.

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