Starting in the 2025 hurricane season, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) will be able to issue alerts for potential tropical cyclones (PTCs) earlier than ever before.

The NHC is expanding its criteria for issuing PTC products. For systems likely to impact land, forecasters can now give up to 72 hours of advance notice, an increase from the previous 48-hour window.

Potential tropical cyclones are weather systems that have not yet become tropical storms or hurricanes but pose a threat of strong winds or storm surge. The designation was first introduced in 2017 to help communities prepare for developing storms.

The added lead time will give residents in potentially affected areas more time to make necessary preparations ahead of possible landfall.

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