Atlantic hurricane season begins today.

Why it matters: It's time to stock up on canned food, pay attention to the weather and be ready to leave if there's a threat.

The big picture: This year's Atlantic hurricane season is expected to be below average in storm activity for the first time in more than a decade, NOAA meteorologists said in their annual forecast.

• Residents should still take the season seriously and prepare now, officials stressed.
• "It's very important to understand that it only takes one," NOAA administrator Neil Jacobs told reporters.

Zoom in: Storm names this year include Dolly, Kyle, Nana and Wilfred.

• See the full list.

What we're watching: NOAA officials previewed several technological advances they said would help local emergency officials better prepare for impacts on the ground.

• That includes the agency's Flood Inundation Mapping tool, which provides street-level visualizations of flood waters in near real time.
• The tool will cover the entire U.S. by the end of September, National Weather Service director Ken Graham said.
• NOAA also added rip current risk maps.

Zoom out: NHC began its daily tropical outlook May 15, and so far, all has been quiet in the Gulf, Caribbean and Atlantic.

• Historically, the most active period for strong storms in the Gulf and the Atlantic is August and September.

What's next: Authorities urge residents to prepare now by gathering emergency supplies and making an evacuation plan.

• Here's a list of things you should do to prepare your home before the tropics heat up.

The 2026 hurricane cone of uncertainty will feature a handful of new graphical elements, the National Hurricane Center recently revealed.

Why it matters: The cone projects the storm's path and intensity, helps determine evacuation zones and guides residents on how to best prepare for what's to come.

Zoom in: One difference residents can look out for is color coding that shows inland impacts, including storm and hurricane wind watches, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported.

• Previously, hurricane-force winds along the coast were designated in red. Now, that same color will extend as far inland as experts believe the winds will reach, per the outlet.
• Storms that have no chance of developing into a tropical system will be labeled gray, not yellow, as previously shown.

Zoom out: The NHC is also testing a new experimental cone this season that features a slightly wider cone.

• The new width means the storm will have a 90% chance of tracking inside it, up from 67% with the current width, reported the Sun Sentinel.

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