Threat is hazard translated into movement. As probability of occurrence increases the threat increases. This can either be in a general or an event specific sense. For example, the onset of the Atlantic hurricane season increases the threat that a hurricane will impact the territory of any of the Caribbean nations, Mexico, or the United States, simply because conditions are favorable for hurricane development. This increase in threat may be small, but the onset of hurricane season is still taken seriously by emergency managers in those jurisdictions that are vulnerable by reason of geography. On the other hand the threat increases measurably when a hurricane is 48 hours from predicted landfall, and your jurisdiction is within the potential range of landfall locations.

It is important to note that changes in potential impact and in vulnerability can change the level of the threat. A weak potential impact combined with increased readiness will reduce the overall threat.