cone of uncertainty
Storm path range
A cone of uncertainty is the funnel-shaped graphic showing possible future paths of a hurricane or tropical storm.
The cone widens as time extends forward because prediction accuracy decreases—a storm's position five days out is far less certain than tomorrow's.
The entire Florida coast fell within the cone of uncertainty.
The term has spread beyond meteorology to describe any widening range of possible outcomes: Budget projections carry their own cone of uncertainty.
- hurricaneViolent tropical windstorm
- tropical stormOrganized oceanic wind system
- National Hurricane CenterFederal tropical storm forecasters
- forecastPrediction of future conditions
- weather forecastAtmospheric conditions prediction
five day forecast · probability · projection · track · storm track · storm · path · error · margin · margin of error · spaghetti · models · prediction · landfall · trajectory · spread · range · doubt
cone of uncertaintycertainty
Total absence of doubt
confidence · knowledge · assurance · determinism · predictability
conical, conically, uncertain, uncertainly, certainty, certain, certainly, certitude, ascertain