How AI could help save lives this hurricane season

Bill Kearney, Miami Herald on Jun 1, 2026

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MIAMI — Artificial intelligence may have its flaws, but specific programs have proven themselves to be groundbreaking — if not lifesaving — tools in hurricane forecasts, and the National Hurricane Center will keep incorporating them into its forecast arsenal.

Last year, an AI model was actually more accurate than traditional methods at predicting the power and path of Melissa, the season’s most dangerous hurricane.

The Hurricane Center’s operation officer Wallace Hogsett said as forecasters gained experience last year, they “began integrating these new AI weather-prediction systems as guidance when preparing operational forecasts.”

In its review of the 2025 season, the Hurricane Center said official forecasts “generally outperformed most dynamical and consensus models, though the Google DeepMind ensemble mean (GDMI) showed slightly better short-range performance.”

This year’s hurricane season starts Monday and runs through Nov. 30. At this point, the Hurricane Center considers AI another tool in the toolbox, but one that could save lives.

Primary among them: Google’s DeepMind AI. Hogsett said the Hurricane Center “has partnered directly with Google DeepMind to develop a new AI hurricane forecast model that was used experimentally during the 2025 season.”