Into the Storm: Tracking Hurricanes with Mark Sudduth

When a hurricane makes landfall, the forecast tells us what may happen. But storm documentation shows us what actually happens — where wind, water and infrastructure meet in real time.

In this episode of HURRICANE CENTER, the hosts talk with Mark Sudduth of HurricaneTrack, one of the most recognized hurricane documentarians in the country. Through HurricaneTrack and the Hurricane Intercept Research Team, Sudduth has spent decades documenting tropical storms and hurricanes along the U.S. coast using field observations, remote cameras, specialized equipment and live storm coverage.

The conversation explores what it takes to prepare for a hurricane field deployment, how remote camera technology has changed storm coverage and why documenting landfall impacts matters for forecasters, emergency managers, media organizations and the public.

Hurricane coverage is not only about dramatic video. It is about helping people understand storm surge, destructive wind, flooding, power loss and the real-world consequences that happen where a hurricane comes ashore. By placing technology in the path of the storm, HurricaneTrack has helped bring audiences closer to hurricane impacts while reducing the need for people to be in dangerous locations during landfall.

In This Episode, You Will Learn

•  How Mark Sudduth built HurricaneTrack into a hurricane documentation platform. 
•  Why remote cameras have changed the way hurricanes are covered. 
•  What goes into preparing for a landfall field deployment. 
•  How storm documentation can help the public understand hurricane impacts. 
•  Why real-time video and field observations matter beyond traditional forecasts. 
•  How technology can bring viewers closer to landfall without putting more people in danger. 
•  What HurricaneTrack has learned from years of documenting storms along the coast. 

About the Guest

Mark Sudduth is the founder of HurricaneTrack and the Hurricane Intercept Research Team, which was founded in 1998 to collect data and report on hurricanes and tropical storms as they make landfall along the U.S. coast. HurricaneTrack uses specialized meteorological equipment, remotely operated video cameras and field documentation to capture hurricane impacts. Sudduth also joined FOX Weather as an exclusive storm tracker in 2022 and has nearly 30 years of experience documenting hurricanes and other high-impact weather events. 

Key Listener Takeaway

Seeing hurricane impacts clearly can change how people understand risk. Forecasts tell us what could happen, but field documentation and remote cameras show the reality of landfall — storm surge, wind damage, flooding, infrastructure stress and the conditions people should avoid. HurricaneTrack helps connect the science of forecasting with the real-world consequences of the storm.

Resources

•  HurricaneTrack 
•  Hurricane Intercept Research Team 
•  National Hurricane Center 
•  National Tropical Weather Conference 
•  HURRICANE CENTER podcast archive 

About HURRICANE CENTER

HURRICANE CENTER takes listeners inside the science, decisions and real-world impacts of tropical storms and hurricanes. Featuring conversations with forecasters, researchers, emergency managers, storm documentarians and resilience experts, the podcast helps communities better understand hurricane risk and prepare before, during and after landfall.

A production of the National Tropical Weather Conference.

Follow and Share

Subscribe to HURRICANE CENTER wherever you listen to podcasts, and share this episode with someone who lives or works in hurricane country.

Suggest a topic or ask a question: [email protected]
Learn more about the National Tropical Weather Conference: HurricaneCenterLive.com

Support the show

Suggest a topic or ask a question: [email protected]
Visit our conference site: www.hurricanecenterlive.com

Thanks for listening and please share with your friends and co-workers.