The map shows one piece of the puzzle—the water level rise from the storm itself.
Tropical Storm Cristina moves across the Atlantic, carrying with it the ancient and indifferent arithmetic of wind, water, and time. The New York Times, drawing on data from the National Hurricane Center, NOAA, and satellite networks, has assembled a set of interactive tools to help coastal residents translate the storm's abstract trajectory into the specific, human language of preparation and decision. In moments like these, information becomes a form of care — the difference between a warning heard and a warning understood.
- Cristina is tracking toward populated coastlines, bringing the compounding threats of damaging winds, storm surge, flooding, and rip currents to communities that must now decide how and when to act.
- The storm's exact path remains in motion, with forecasts updating continuously as the cyclone's speed, intensity, and direction shift — leaving a narrow and shrinking window for evacuation and property protection.
- Interactive maps translate raw meteorological data into city-by-city wind arrival times, surge zones, and rainfall forecasts, giving residents a granular picture of what is coming and precisely when.
- Radar mosaics from over 130 NEXRAD stations refresh in real time, while satellite imagery and rainfall outlooks layer additional hazard information for those navigating the storm's approach.
- Officials and residents are urged to monitor National Hurricane Center guidance closely, as changing conditions could trigger new evacuation orders with little advance notice.
Tropical Storm Cristina is crossing the Atlantic, and The New York Times has built a suite of interactive maps to help people in its path understand not just where the storm is going, but what specific dangers will arrive and when.
At the center of the coverage is a five-day trajectory map generated from National Hurricane Center data, showing the storm's probable course and highlighting areas with at least a 5 percent chance of the cyclone passing through. A companion table breaks down wind arrival times for specific cities — distinguishing between when damaging winds of 93 kilometers per hour or faster could arrive at the earliest, and when they are most likely to appear. That distinction carries real weight for anyone deciding when to evacuate or secure their home.
Storm surge maps show where rising sea levels could inundate coastal areas, though the Times notes that actual flooding may differ from projections, and that wave action and rainfall-driven flooding are not included in the surge layer. Intertidal zones — areas that flood regularly even without storms — are marked to help residents gauge their baseline exposure.
Radar imagery, drawn from NOAA's NEXRAD network of more than 130 stations, updates continuously to show where rain is falling and how hard. Satellite images refresh only during daylight hours at the storm's location. Rip current risks and rainfall forecasts — including one-day outlooks from NOAA and longer-range predictions from the National Weather Service — round out the picture.
All of these layers will continue updating as Cristina evolves. For those in the storm's path, the tools are designed to move beyond generic warnings and deliver the kind of specific, timely information that makes preparation possible.
Tropical Storm Cristina is moving across the Atlantic, and The New York Times has assembled a suite of interactive maps to help people understand what's coming and when. The tracking tools pull data from the National Hurricane Center, NOAA, and satellite networks to show not just where the storm is headed, but the specific hazards residents in its path should prepare for.
The centerpiece is a trajectory map that displays the storm's probable course over the next five days. The National Hurricane Center generates these forecasts, and the Times visualization highlights areas where there's at least a 5 percent chance the storm will pass. The forecast window begins up to three hours before the cyclone reaches its last known position, giving forecasters a rolling window to update predictions as conditions change. Wind speed probability data stops at the 60.25-degree north latitude line, where the data becomes too sparse to be reliable.
For people in specific cities, the Times has built a table showing when damaging winds—sustained at 93 kilometers per hour or faster—are likely to arrive. The table uses two timeframes: "as soon as" indicates there's no more than a 10 percent chance winds will hit before that hour, while "most likely" means there's a 50 percent probability they'll arrive by then. This distinction matters for evacuation planning and securing property. The geographic locations come from the U.S. Census Bureau and Natural Earth data, with time zones calibrated through Google's database.
Beyond wind timing, the maps address storm surge—the rise in sea level that can inundate coastal areas. The National Hurricane Center provides the surge forecast, though the Times notes that actual flooding zones may differ from what the map shows. The visualization accounts for tidal patterns but does not include wave action or rainfall-driven flooding, which can compound the damage. The map also marks intertidal zones that regularly flood during high tides, helping residents understand baseline vulnerability.
Radar imagery comes from NOAA through Iowa State University, combining data from more than 130 individual radars that make up the NEXRAD network. These mosaics update continuously, giving a real-time picture of where rain is falling and how intense it is. Satellite images, sourced from NOAA, only refresh between sunrise and sunset at the storm's location, a limitation of daylight-dependent imaging.
The Times also maps rip currents, which the National Hurricane Center tracks. These narrow, fast-moving channels of water flowing away from shore can pull swimmers out to sea, and while they're not always tied to active tropical cyclones, they pose a distinct hazard during storm conditions. A separate layer shows rainfall forecasts—one-day predictions from NOAA and longer-range outlooks from the National Weather Service.
All of these layers update as new data arrives from the National Hurricane Center. The storm's intensity, forward speed, and exact track will shift, and the maps will shift with them. For people in Cristina's path, these tools offer a way to move beyond generic storm warnings and see the specific timing and type of threat heading their way.
Notable Quotes
The actual areas that could flood may differ from the areas shown on this map, as it accounts for tides but not waves or rainfall-driven flooding.— National Hurricane Center (via Times methodology notes)
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does the Times break down wind arrival into two different timeframes instead of just giving one prediction?
Because a single number would be false certainty. The "as soon as" time tells you the earliest you should reasonably expect damaging winds. The "most likely" time is where the odds actually favor impact. If you're evacuating or securing a building, you need both anchors.
The map stops showing wind probability data above a certain latitude. Why?
The data just isn't there. The hurricane tracking network is densest over populated areas and ocean routes. The farther north you go, the fewer observations feed the models. At some point, the forecast becomes too unreliable to publish responsibly.
Storm surge maps don't include wave action or rainfall flooding. Doesn't that understate the danger?
It does, actually. The map shows you one piece of the puzzle—the water level rise from the storm itself. But waves on top of that surge, and rain falling inland, can cause flooding in places the surge map doesn't flag. It's why people need to read the notes, not just look at the colored zones.
Why update satellite images only during daylight hours?
Satellites that take visible-light images can't see at night. You could use infrared, but that tells you something different—cloud temperature, not actual conditions. The Times chose to show what's most useful to people trying to understand what's happening right now.
If the forecast is only good for five days, what happens after that?
The uncertainty explodes. A storm's path depends on steering currents, atmospheric pressure patterns, and ocean temperatures—all things that become harder to predict the further out you go. Five days is roughly the limit of skill. Beyond that, you're guessing.