Hurricane Condition (HURCON) is an alert scale used by the

United States Armed Forces The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is the ...

in the North Atlantic and the North Pacific to indicate the state of emergency or preparedness for an approaching

hurricane A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depend ...

. This designation is especially important to installations in the southern Atlantic region, as it is most affected by hurricanes. In the western Pacific, where hurricanes are referred to as typhoons, the scale is called Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness (TCCOR). A HURCON or TCCOR can be issued up to 96 hours before a hurricane is expected to strike the installation.

HURCON conditions

As of 2021, the scale - which has been updated several times, and has minor variations between different military bases - consists of 5 levels, from HURCON 5 to HURCON 1, with three additional sub-levels for HURCON 1. As with civilian alerts, buildings may be boarded up and personnel evacuated. In addition; aircraft, ships, equipment, and other assets will be relocated, tied down, bunkered, or otherwise secured. The contraction was chosen in line with other military terminology in use like

DEFCON The defense readiness condition (DEFCON) is an alert state used by the United States Armed Forces. (DEFCON is not mentioned in the 2010 and newer document) The DEFCON system was developed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) and unified and spe ...

and

FPCON In United States military security parlance, force protection condition (FPCON for short) is a counter-terrorist threat system overseen by the United States Department of Defense directive, and describes the number of measures needed to be taken b ...

to communicate hazardous conditions.

TCCOR conditions

As of 2021, TCCOR consists of TCCOR 5 to TCCOR 1, three additional sub-levels for TCCOR 1, TCCOR Storm Watch, and TCCOR All Clear.

Notes

* It is possible to return to TCCOR Storm Watch or TCCOR 4 from a higher level of alert if the storm is no longer forecast to reach destructive wind criteria at the installation. * Destructive wind criteria: 50 knots sustained or gust factors of 60 knots or greater.

In popular culture

This article was the topic of conversation in the third episode of series three of the web series "Two Of These People Are Lying" hosted by The Technical Difficulties.

References

{{reflist Weather warnings and advisories Alert measurement systems Military terminology of the United States