HURRICANE TRACKER :

HURRICANE TRACKER :

As hurricane season enters its most active time, tracking those storms can be a breeze with apps for the iPhone & iPad.

Hurricane Irene hammered Puerto Rico & is expected to collect deadly momentum when it reaches Florida in the next 48 to 72 hours. Hurricane season in the Atlantic begins June one & ends November 30; the Eastern Pacific hurricane season begins May 15th & also ends November 30. The season peaks beginning in mid-August, says National Weather Service meteorologist Alfredo Vega.

Here are some apps to keep you informed:

NOAA Now app, & a freebie, provides information from the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration including: hurricanes & tropical storms in the Atlantic, Eastern Pacific & Central Pacific cyclone basins, mainland storms, including tornado & extreme thunderstorm alerts.

The Weather Channel, offered free, is a nice place to start. In addition to detailed reports & forecasts to make even the most staunch person lose the desire to leave the basement shelter, there's iWitness weather updates. Seasoned weather watchers also recommend following the mobile version of the TV channel.

The Twitter iPhone app will also help keep you informed, in addition to using hash tags in search mode, the National Hurricane Middle has started a feed for each hurricane. They are informative with plenty of pics & entertaining to read even while your teeth chatter. For example Irene wonders:  Does this shade of purple make me look fat?  The NHC also hosts hurricane alert feeds on Twitter, @NHC_Atlantic  & @NHC_Pacific.

Hurricane Tracker, which bills itself as the most comprehensive hurricane app, has swept to the top of the paid iTunes weather apps. For $2.99 it offers real-time updates & threat level maps and push alerts. Its so entertaining & informative, iTunes reviewer News JunkieBob said that he uses it even when there is no threat of a tropical storm, adding that he likes to scan the satellite maps to check the Florida weather. 

Which of them do you use?