HLT

The HLT is a select group of emergency management professionals with hurricane experience who are specially trained to serve in the NHC. The mission of the HLT is to facilitate and support an effective, integrated response to the imminent threat of tropical cyclones through timely coordination of information between emergency managers at all levels, the NHC, local WFOs, and other agencies, as appropriate. The team is comprised of federal, state, and local emergency managers, and NWS meteorologists whose locales are not threatened by the particular storm being monitored. The HLT is usually operational at the NHC 48 hours before landfall is expected.

The HLT was established after the unusually active 1995 hurricane season during which the increasing number of information requests to the NHC by the emergency management community threatened to compromise the NHC's ability to carry out its forecasting mission. The HLT's responsibilities include

Establishing and facilitating video and/or teleconferences between FEMA, the NHC, and other NWS offices
Establishing and facilitating teleconferences between NHC, state emergency management directors, and local WFOs
Fielding emergency management calls concerning emergency response issues
Directing questions and issues from emergency management officials to the NHC specialists or WFOs, as appropriate
Soliciting and relaying emergency management needs to NHC specialists and responsible WFOs

Explanations of How the HLT Functions