Kantar Study Confirms AccuWeather Provided the Most Accurate Hurricane Forecasts in 2024 with the Most Advance Notice

‘This historic report marks the first time a third-party has verified that another source has been more accurate and more effective in predicting hurricanes and their impacts than NOAA's National Hurricane Center’ -- AccuWeather Founder and Executive Chairman Dr. Joel N. Myers.

AccuWeather Global Weather Center, STATE COLLEGE, PA - May 21, 2025 - A new study conducted by Kantar, one of the world’s leading marketing data and analytics companies, has found that AccuWeather provided the most accurate and most effective hurricane forecasts during the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, outperforming the National Hurricane Center (NHC) and all other known sources.

The full report can be found here.

“We are very gratified by these results, which further support our mission of saving lives and protecting property,” said AccuWeather Founder and Executive Chairman Dr. Joel N. Myers. “This historic report marks the first time a third-party has verified that another source has been more accurate and more effective in predicting hurricanes and their impacts than NOAA’s National Hurricane Center."

Key Findings:

In 2024, AccuWeather hurricane forecasts consistently outperformed those from the NHC and other sources, with storm track predictions averaging 6.2% greater accuracy overall and 8.9% for U.S. landfalling storms. Landfall location forecasts were 8.6% more accurate on average, while landfall intensity forecasts showed a substantial 37.8% improvement. These forecasts were issued an average of 19 hours earlier and extended 25 hours farther into the future—rising to 31 hours in advance on average for U.S. landfalls. Additionally, maximum wind intensity forecasts were on average 4.0% more accurate overall and 4.4% more accurate for storms hitting the U.S.

This Superior Accuracy™ and detail of AccuWeather’s hurricane forecasts means people have extra time to prepare and take protective action with greater understanding of the severe weather threats. For example, people and businesses who receive warnings further in advance have an increased window to seek shelter, evacuate or secure property. Clearer communication of the nature, severity, timing and location of the threat explained in a way that is easy to understand and act on leads to improved outcomes, such as lives saved, injuries reduced and property damage minimized due to better-informed decision-making.

For businesses, more advance notice and better communication translates to better safety for employees and customers, minimized reputational harm and liability, maximized efficiencies, reduced costs and possibly even increased profits.

“As we enter into the 2025 hurricane season, this analysis by Kantar confirms what the emergency managers, businesses, government agencies and millions of individuals who use the AccuWeather Hurricane Service already know: AccuWeather is the gold standard for the most accurate and actionable hurricane forecasting to keep people better prepared and safer,” said AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter.

Porter said the important foundational work of the National Hurricane Center should in no way be disregarded.

“The National Hurricane Center (NHC) , part of NOAA , is an indispensable part of the private/public partnership,” said Porter.  “The  Superior Accuracy™ of AccuWeather forecasts proven by the Kantar analysis are based on the foundation of what the NHC does.  Our specialized team of hurricane experts in our Global Forecast Center uses input from the NHC along with other inputs and our expertise and intellectual capital to produce the exceptional results that the Kantar study has confirmed. There are leaders in every field, and this study confirms that AccuWeather is the leader in hurricane forecasting."

AccuWeather CEO Steven R. Smith said, “AccuWeather’s unique blend of advanced AI and machine learning with six decades of human expertise is key to successfully delivering and communicating risk-based forecasts focused on real-world impact to help people and businesses make the best weather-impacted decisions often with more advance notice than any other source enabling people to be better prepared and stay safer."

Storm-Specific Highlights:

Hurricane Beryl - AccuWeather accurately predicted Texas landfall 30 hours before the NHC and was the first to forecast severe rainfall and flooding.

Hurricane Francine - AccuWeather was the only known source to correctly and consistently forecast landfall as a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson wind scale.

Hurricane Helene - AccuWeather was the only known source to accurately predict that Helene “could cause a flooding disaster” and be “a once-in-a-generation storm” for parts of the southern Appalachians.

Hurricane Milton - AccuWeather was the first known source to predict that Milton “could bring damaging winds and flooding to Florida, including areas recovering from Helene.” In addition, AccuWeather was the first known source to say, “rapid intensification is possible."

Unnamed September Storm - AccuWeather was first to warn of significant impact, issuing its first forecast track 26 hours before NHC and all other known sources. The storm was never named by the NHC.

“This is the latest in a long history of examples of AccuWeather’s Superior Accuracy™, and we are proud of AccuWeather’s track record forecasting severe weather as well as helping people to make the best decisions every day,” added Porter. “Our expert meteorologists are poised and ready for the upcoming hurricane season right around the corner."

Hurricane season officially begins June 1 and continues through Nov. 30. AccuWeather first began saving lives from tropical storms with Hurricane Agnes in 1972.  Further, AccuWeather was cited by Congress for saving thousands of lives during Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and has received recognition for many other hurricane forecasts that clearly saved lives, including Hurricane Ian in Ft. Myers, Florida, and Hurricane Sandy on the New Jersey coast.

To learn more about AccuWeather’s commitment to accuracy and its tropical storm forecasting successes, visit: www.AccuWeather.com.

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About AccuWeather
AccuWeather, recognized and documented as the most accurate and most used source of weather forecasts and warnings in the world, has saved over 12,000 lives, prevented injury to over 100,000 people and saved companies tens of billions of dollars through better planning and decision-making. Billions of people around the world rely on AccuWeather’s proven Superior Accuracy™ across our consumer digital platforms. AccuWeather.com is the #1 weather destination and one of the top 100 most-visited websites in the world, and our award-winning AccuWeather app delivers detailed real-time forecasts to millions of smartphones.

AccuWeather forecasts also appear on digital signage and in 700 newspapers, are heard on over 400 radio stations and viewed on 100 television stations. The AccuWeather Network and AccuWeather NOW® reach an audience of over 125 million on cable and streaming platforms. AccuWeather For Business serves more than half of the Fortune 500 companies and thousands of other businesses and government agencies globally who pay for the most accurate weather forecasts than from any other source. AccuWeather's story is one of a fanatical dedication to Superior Accuracy™, detail, creativity, innovation, entrepreneurship, and the loyalty and commitment of many people who have joined AccuWeather’s center of excellence, including many others who have dedicated their entire careers to AccuWeather.

Dr. Joel N. Myers, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, established AccuWeather in 1962 and is considered the “father of modern commercial meteorology.” Myers, a leading creative thinker and visionary, has been named “the most accurate man in weather” by The New York Times and one of the top entrepreneurs in American history by Entrepreneur’s Encyclopedia of Entrepreneurs.

Visit accuweather.com for the most accurate hyperlocal forecasts, weather news, and information, and download the free AccuWeather app for Android or iOS.

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