5 surprising facts about Hurricane Hunters
They fly straight into the world’s most dangerous storms to gather life-saving data. Here's the skinny on the pilots and scientists who make hurricane hunting possible.
Crew members use devices called dropwindsondes to measure aspects of the storm like temperature, dew point, relative humidity and wind direction.
While this year’s Atlantic hurricane season hasn’t been especially active, the few storms that have formed have been exceptional. And high above them, NOAA’s Hurricane Hunters have been flying dangerous, looping missions through walls of wind and rain to collect data. On Monday, Oct. 27, one of their aircraft was forced to exit Hurricane Melissa early after encountering severe turbulence within the southern eyewall, a reminder of just how perilous the job can be.
Like storm chasers on the ground, these crews undertake harrowing missions to capture vital weather information that helps to improve the forecast and keep coastal residents safe. Here are five surprising facts about the people who fly straight into the planet’s fiercest weather.
They don’t just fly into hurricanes, they crisscross them
Finding a hurricane’s center isn’t as simple as flying straight through the eye once and calling it a day. Crews trace what’s called an “alpha pattern,” a crisscrossing flight path shaped like an X that cuts through the storm multiple times.
The Hurricane Hunters taking off from Kessler Air Force Base, Mississippi, on July 6, 2021. (Image/ U.S. Air Force/ Sgt. Kristen Pittman)
Each pass takes them through the eyewall, the most violent part of the hurricane, where winds can exceed 150 mph and turbulence can rattle the aircraft like a toy. By flying these intersecting lines, the hunters pinpoint what’s known as the “zero wind point,” the calm, eerie center of the eye that defines the storm’s structure. Here, scientists also witness the stadium effect, a striking sight inside the calm center where the towering walls of cloud seem to curve outward and upward, forming what looks like the seating of a vast stadium.
The data they collect shapes every hurricane forecast
Each mission is basically a flying science lab. At key points in the flight, crew members release small sensor-equipped tubes called dropsondes. As the instruments parachute down through the storm, they beam back real-time readings of wind speed, temperature, humidity and pressure. Those data streams feed directly into forecast models, helping meteorologists determine everything from a hurricane’s strength to where it might make landfall next. Without this information, the maps and famous “cones of uncertainty” we see on TV would be far less accurate.
NOAA researcher Gary Wick holds a dropsonde, while Terry Hock a researcher from NCAR, holds the dropsonde parachute. (Poto/NASA)
Every flight is a marathon
A single hurricane mission can last eight to 10 hours, and storms like Melissa require multiple runs over several days. Inside the aircraft, it’s equal parts endurance test and scientific ballet. Crews eat quick snacks between passes, sleep in shifts when they can, and often fly through night and dawn in the same mission. Between the roar of the engines and the constant turbulence, it’s not glamorous work, but the consistency and stamina of each flight mean more complete data and better forecasts for everyone on the ground.
The planes themselves are heavily modified workhorses
The NOAA and Air Force Reserve fleets use rugged aircraft like the WP-3D Orion and WC-130J Super Hercules. They’re reinforced to withstand extreme turbulence, flying as low as 5,000 to 10,000 feet where the wind speeds are highest.
They don’t always make it out unscathed
While safety protocols are meticulous, the risk is real. Pilots have reported losing altitude in violent downdrafts and instruments freezing midflight. The NOAA plane forced to pull out of Hurricane Melissa’s eyewall is a stark reminder of those dangers.
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