Privacy Policy

Last updated: June 27, 2026

SimStorm™ (the “site,” “we,” “us”) is an educational resource on hurricane science, hazards, history, forecasting, and preparedness. This policy explains what information we collect when you visit, how we use it, and the choices you have. We aim to collect as little as possible.

Information we collect

Information you give us

When you subscribe to our email newsletter, we collect the email address you provide. If you contact us, we receive whatever information you include in your message. We do not require you to create an account to read the site.

Information collected automatically

Like most websites, when you visit we automatically receive standard technical information: your IP address, browser type and device, the pages you view, and the site you arrived from. This is collected through cookies and similar technologies described below, and is used to keep the site working, understand what content is useful, and serve advertising.

Cookies and similar technologies

Cookies are small files stored on your device. We and our partners use them to remember preferences, measure traffic, and deliver and measure advertising. You can set your browser to refuse cookies or alert you when they are sent; some parts of the site may not function as intended if you do.

Advertising

We display advertising to support the site, including through Google AdSense and may use other advertising partners. The following disclosures apply:

• Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to this website and other websites.
• Google’s use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads to you based on your visits to this and/or other sites on the Internet.
• You may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings.
• You can opt out of a third-party vendor’s use of cookies for personalized advertising at www.aboutads.info/choices and optout.networkadvertising.org.

For more on how Google uses information from sites that use its services, see How Google uses information from sites or apps that use our services.

Analytics

We use privacy-respecting analytics to understand aggregate traffic, which may include Cloudflare Web Analytics (which does not use client-side state or cookies) and Google Analytics. These tools help us see which articles are read and how the site performs; they are not used to identify you personally.

Email newsletter

Our newsletter is managed with Kit (formerly ConvertKit). If you subscribe, your email address is stored with Kit so we can send you the lead magnet and occasional updates. Every email includes an unsubscribe link, and you can opt out at any time. We do not sell or rent your email address.

How we use your information

• To operate, maintain, and improve the site and its content.
• To deliver our email newsletter and the resources you request.
• To display and measure advertising that supports the site.
• To understand aggregate usage and protect against abuse.
• To respond to your questions, corrections, and feedback.

Third-party links

Our articles link to external sources (such as NOAA, the National Hurricane Center, FEMA, and other references) and may include affiliate links to products or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of other sites; we encourage you to read their policies. Where we use affiliate links, doing so is at no extra cost to you and is disclosed on the relevant pages.

Children’s privacy

This site is intended for a general audience and is not directed to children under 13. Our “Hurricanes for Kids” section is educational content meant to be used with the guidance of a parent, guardian, or teacher. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us information, please contact us and we will delete it.

Your privacy rights

Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, or delete the personal information we hold, and to object to certain processing. If you are in the European Union, United Kingdom, or Switzerland (GDPR) or in California (CCPA/CPRA), these rights may apply to you. To exercise them, email us at the address below and we will respond as required by law. We do not sell your personal information.

Data security and retention

We use reasonable measures to protect the limited information we hold, and we keep it only as long as needed for the purposes above or as required by law. No method of transmission over the Internet is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the “Last updated” date above. Material changes will be reflected on this page.

Contact us

Questions about this policy or your information? Our contact email address is coming soon — see our Contact page for the current ways to reach us.