Buresh Blog: Hurricane Conference... April averages... ArtemisII launch

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The 2026 National Hurricane Conference is in Orlando this year - about the 21st/22nd hurricane conference I’ve attended, & it always helps me to recall that weather conferences are good for my “weather soul” :) - one is never too old to learn... great networking... & a chance to catch up with those I’ve known for a long time now. I see “young me” now at conferences like this - literally & figuratively.

So enough musing. I had the opportunity to speak with many professionals some of which you will see & hear in the First Alert hurricane special (June 1/beginning of the Atlantic season) & throughout the hurricane season.

One of the more talked about new graphics that moves from its testing phase to operational this year is the forecast cone overlayed by tropical storm &/or hurricane watches/warnings. Example:

There was a lot of chatter about last year’s devastating - for Western Jamaica - Cat. 5 “Melissa” - one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record & one of the most intense to make landfall.

In the opening session, Florida Division of Emergency Management director Kevin Guthrie talked about making Florida a model (that’s not an overstatement in my opinion) for other state & even international emergency managers & was kind enough to give me a quick impromptu interview.

Michael Brennan, National Hurricane Center Director:

Daniel Brown, Branch Chief - Hurricane Specialist Unit, National Hurricane Conference:

Dr. Phil Klotzbach, hurricane “predictor” :) - Atmospheric Scientist, Colorado State University. His official seasonal forecast will be issued April 9th but current indications are for an El Nino to develop along the equatorial Pacific which *could* cut down on at least the number of Atlantic tropical cyclones:

L-R: Josh Morgerman, iCyclone... Commander Brett Copare, Chief of Operations, NOAA Aircraft Operations Center... Larry Kelly, Hurricane Specialist - National Hurricane Center... Daniel Brown, National Hurricane Center:

Josh Morgerman - the one man band, iCyclone - the first time I’ve met him in person. I found Josh, to be humble, a very good speaker, learned when it comes to hurricane/typhoons & clearly a mind that’s going a thousand miles per second :). I appreciate Josh giving me a quick off the cuff interview:

Two videos below - (1) hurricane hunter P-3 flying through Cat. 5 Melissa & Josh near the peak of Melissa’s landfall on the southwest coast of Jamaica:

And I met Tonto Alexander of Nite Beam Products - an affable guy willing to give me some of his time:

First Alert Weather Chief Meteorologist Mike Buresh at National Hurricane Conference

The National Hurricane Center just completed their forecast verification report for 2025. While Google DeepMind (AI) stole the show in many cases, the human forecasters at NHC ended up on top - quite the accomplishment! Click * here * for the full report.

Throughout the hurricane season (June 1 - Nov. 30), get daily updates on the tropics at “Talking the Tropics With Mike” (since 2005).

We turn the calendars now to April. The averages for JIA:

Artemis II launched April 1! The crewed craft will orbit the moon on their approximately 10 day mission. The goal remains to eventually once again land “man” on the moon. It’s not lost on me at least, the amazing, brave accomplishments & true frontier spirit of NASA astronauts in the 1960s & ‘70s - the first to ever reach & walk on the moon! Yes - I can remember watching the first moon walk on t.v. in my aunt Vivian’s living room in 1969 :). My view from the hurricane conference in Orlando Wed. April 1:

Walter Cronkite’s succinct yet gripping live report of the remarkable 1969 first steps on the moon!: