Eye of the Hurricanes

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Why we love it

With its projection centered on the South Pole, this Story Map completely reimagines how to visualize hurricane data on a map. Many hurricane maps have been made. This one takes a fresh perspective, and the result is a powerful visual that jumps off the page. You see the warm ocean basins that spawn hurricanes along with predominate storm tracks. We love how this basic map packs some cartographic punch. Yet, it’s super simple to make yourself.

Why It works

A story map shows how to recreate this hurricane map, revealing the key creative steps in the workflow. This map works because uses an intuitive and beautiful combination of colour, size and transparency to build up the overall patterns. We see the largest, most powerful storms emerging from this mass of historic data. But, we also see that these storms are relatively rare. The use of a dark, muted satellite basemap is key to creating the map’s overall striking, glowing appearance.

Important steps

  • Know the facts

    Download the data from NOAA.
    Download here

  • Preserve the visual's integrity

    Choose a meaningful projection that illuminates some aspect of the phenomenon.
    Learn about projections and more.

  • Choose your map

    Create a custom desaturated imagery basemap (the new Firefly basemap, available from the Living Atlas of the World, is a similar pre-packaged option).
    View Firefly basemap options
    Explore ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World

  • Draw your components

    Create custom picture symbology with a white center and faded colourised glow. Add a radial vignette around the composition to draw the eye into the map and help frame the content.
    How to draw symbols and shapes
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Requirements

  • Data & Software

    You will need the following data: NASA basemap image, World Imagery Service, NOAA Historic Hurricanes, Coastline and graticules (see resources), Firefly Icon Images (see resources).
    Download NASA basemap image
    Download World Imagery Service
    Download NOAA Historic Hurricane

  • Analysis

    The locations and strengths of the storms were already contained in the original data, so little analysis was needed except to match the map symbol with the Storm Category number.

  • Time

    As with any creative process, some unknowable amount of time was spent in exploring visual options. However, with an existing design goal, the building of this map takes around an hour.
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Tips and tricks

  • Slight tweaks make vivid results

    The basemap blends a black-and-white satellite imagery with an 8 to 10 percent transparent color version, adding just a hint of color to the dark image.
    Learn how to make a hurricane map

  • Change it up

    The author has created and shared a set of five Firefly Icons used to create the glowing symbols for the five strengths of storm.

  • Line up accurately

    The right map projection is everything - Hurricane tracks circle the globe at certain latitudes, something the circular Polar Stereographic view makes abundantly clear.
    Learn about coordinate systems and more
    See Universal Polar Stereographic map
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Resources

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Map Author

John Nelson

I have way too much fun looking for ways to understand and visually present data, engage others, and write about it. Otherwise, I’m chasing around toddlers and wrangling chickens. Life is good.

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