Breakpoint (meteorology)

Breakpoints are used when coastal and offshore areas need to be warned of an impending weather event, usually pertaining to a hazard faced because of the water.

Breakpoints are typically defined by the name of a place or town on the coast, by a geographic feature, or by some combination of latitude and longitude.

While virtually any point can be used for informal discussions, a list of formal breakpoints is generally used for issuing warnings and forecasts for an area.

The National Hurricane Center has a list of both formal and informal breakpoints, which it uses throughout its areas of responsibility in the Eastern Pacific, and in the North Atlantic basins.

In general, the breakpoints used by the NWS are a combination of latitude or longitude points (such as 35N), and geographical features (such as Hatteras Canyon).