Knabb, Fugate Speak at US Hurricane Conference

Emergency managers, forecasters and local government officials from Texas to Maine are meeting this week at the National Hurricane Conference in Orlando.

The director of the National Hurricane Center and Federal Emergency Management Agency chief Craig Fugate will address the conference Wednesday.

The six-month Atlantic hurricane season starts June 1. This year, the hurricane center is trying new color-coded maps to clarify the dangers of storm surge for coastal residents. The graphics will be posted online and will show how far from the beach the water will spread and how high that water will rise.

Separate storm surge warnings, similar to current tropical storm or hurricane warnings, will be rolled out in 2015. It's all part of an ongoing effort to improve the hurricane center describes storm hazards.