Critical Hurricane Planning Tool HURREVAC at Risk as Contract Lapses Before Storm Season

Emergency planners across the United States may soon lose access to a critical hurricane forecasting and evacuation planning tool just months before the start of hurricane season.

The tool, known as HURREVAC, is widely used by meteorologists and emergency managers to simulate storms, plan evacuations, and make life-saving decisions during severe weather events. However, access to the system is now at risk due to a lapse in the federal contract that governs it.

HURREVAC is funded by FEMA and administered through an agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. That agreement has not been renewed, and officials warn the tool could become unavailable indefinitely if a new contract is not finalized soon.

The system allows emergency teams to model both past and potential future storms, helping communities understand storm surge risks, evacuation timelines, and possible impacts based on different scenarios. It also integrates key data from storm surge modeling tools used by the National Weather Service.

Experts say losing access to HURREVAC could significantly impact preparedness efforts, especially as training exercises typically ramp up in the months leading into hurricane season.

Emergency management organizations are warning that without the tool, communities may have less time to prepare and fewer resources to guide critical decisions during storms.

With the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season just a few months away, officials say restoring access to the system is urgent to ensure communities remain ready for potentially dangerous weather events.

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