National Hurricane Center, Weather monitoring center in Miami, United States.
The National Hurricane Center is a weather monitoring facility in Miami located on the Florida International University campus, tracking tropical weather systems across the Atlantic and eastern Pacific. The reinforced building contains workspaces with computers, satellite displays, and communication systems that process data from aircraft, buoys, and weather satellites.
The facility grew out of a weather station established in Key West in the late 19th century to observe hurricanes in the region. It moved to Miami in 1943 and later became the central coordination point for hurricane monitoring in the western hemisphere.
During hurricane season from June through November, meteorologists here work around the clock in multiple shifts to prepare forecasts for vulnerable coastal areas. The warning messages are published in several languages and reach millions of people across the Caribbean and along the eastern coast.
The center offers tours outside hurricane season that must be reserved in advance and are organized for small groups. The tours take place during regular business hours and include a walk through the work areas.
Specialized aircraft fly directly through the eye of a hurricane and transmit real-time measurements to meteorologists here. These data from inside the storm help assess its actual intensity and direction of movement.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.