hurricane hunters

The United Stated Air Force accomplishes hundreds of flying missions across the world every day. But one flight has a purpose like no other.

The Hurricane Hunters of Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi fly dozens of missions into tropical storms and hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico and the central Pacific for the National Hurricane Center. They gather critical weather data that are used to create critically important computer models and weather outlooks.

The Hurricane Hunters provide surveillance of tropical storms and hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and the central Pacific Ocean for the National Hurricane Center. The unit also flies other missions during the hurricane “off-season” to investigate winter storms off both coasts of the U.S.

When a hurricane barrels toward Florida, pilots with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or fly their planes, nicknamed “hurricane hunters,” into the storm.The information they collect helps with forecasts and evacuation orders.

It’s the start of the Atlantic hurricane season, and meteorologists are gearing up for the possibilities of tropical storms. When a storm approaches the coast, a team of pilots and meteorologists jump into planes and fly directly into the storm. They’re collecting data that gets turned into forecasts that help you prepare.