The Hurricane Alert! live simulation provides an authentic context for students to apply the knowledge they learn through the program curriculum. To complete the mission students become part of the fictional Extreme Weather Response Unit.

Working for NOAA the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the team is now stationed at the National Hurricane Centre. An especially threatening scenario seems to be emerging from Hurricane Alley-the area of warm water in the Atlantic Ocean from the West Coast of Africa to the East Coast of the United States, Central America and the Gulf Coast. Many hurricanes form in Hurricane Alley. The temperature of the waters of Hurricane Alley has been rising steadily over the past few decades. Scientists are worried temperature rise is contributing to the increase in hurricane activity seen over the past few years.

Atmospheric scientist are particularly alarmed this year. Conditions seem perfect for multiple hurricane formation. The last several hurricane seasons have been particularly brutal - higher numbers of hurricanes have developed, and many have been larger and stronger than usual.

Your team has been activated to assist the National Hurricane Center. You will begin monitoring the Atlantic Basin, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean while other meteorologist monitor the Pacific Ocean for severe storms and assist in weather predictions for several out-of-control wildfire events in both the United States and overseas.

In monitoring Hurricane Alley, you will track storm formations and analyze the data received from ocean buoys, weather satellites, and weather airplane reconnaissance flights. Should the storm build in strength and threaten communities in the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, or along the Atlantic coast, you will need to issue advisories, watches, and warnings and be able to predict which communities should evacuate.

Before the live simulation teachers use pre-mission lesson plans provided to prepare students with the science and data analysis skills necessary for the simulation.

On mission day the students connect live with the Chief Meteorologist via video conference for approximately 90 minutes. The Chief Meteorologist is a professional educator who interacts with the students to guide the mission to a successful conclusion. The Chief Meteorologist alerts the students to new data received and works to monitor the teams' recommendations.