First, confirm the place
The municipality at the top determines your brief. You can select it manually without GPS. When using location, reported accuracy matters too: a municipality or nearby station does not describe every street or hillside.
Observation: what was measured
A station observation belongs to a particular place and measurement time. If the station is far from your home, treat it as a reference, not proof your street has the same conditions. Check the timestamp before comparing it with a forecast for another hour.
Forecast: what is expected
Forecasts change as new data arrives. CazaHuracanes may show different providers; keep their names when comparing. If one gives 40% and another 60% rain probability for the same hour, those are two estimates, not an official 50%. A probability is also different from the amount of rain already observed.
Alerts: which area and period they cover
Open the official notice and check its area, expiration and instructions. The NWS distinguishes a watch, when a hazard is possible, from a warning, when it is expected. For hurricanes, the usual 48- and 36-hour windows relate to the anticipated onset of tropical-storm-force winds, not a countdown for leaving home.
The cone does not outline every hazard
The NHC cone represents uncertainty in the center’s track. Wind, rain and storm surge can affect places outside it. Being outside the cone is not a reason to ignore a local warning.
When information is missing
Pending, expired or offline sources do not confirm that everything is fine. No alerts in a view is not a safety guarantee either. If you saved a brief, check when: an offline copy does not update itself.
A thirty-second check
Before sharing a screenshot, include the municipality, provider and time. Ask whether it shows a measurement, prediction or official instruction. For evacuation, shelter or immediate emergency decisions, confirm with the responsible authority rather than relying on one number.
Sources and choices
Educational information. Follow official warnings and instructions. Call 9-1-1 for an immediate emergency.