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‘Hurricane Hunters’ Fly Into the Eye of Hurricane Milton

Pilots with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Aircraft Operations Center study the storm as it approaches Florida.

Tuesday, October 08, 2024 at 02:34 PM ET

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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration uses a fleet of hurricane hunters, including this Gulfstream IV-SP nicknamed ‘Gonzo’ to study developing storms. [Courtesy: Nick Underwood/NOAA]

Key Takeaways:

NOAA's "hurricane hunters," including WP-3D Orion aircraft and a Gulfstream IV-SP, are flying into and around Hurricane Milton to collect critical real-time data on its structure, intensity, and path.
The P-3s ("Kermit" and "Miss Piggy") fly directly into the storm's eye, deploying dropsondes and using radar for internal measurements, while the G-IV ("Gonzo") observes upper atmospheric conditions to predict the hurricane's trajectory.
This vital data is immediately transmitted to the National Hurricane Center (NHC) to enhance forecast models, which is crucial as Milton is projected to impact a densely populated and vulnerable region of Florida.
NOAA also deploys uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) from the P-3s to gather data from areas inaccessible to crewed aircraft, particularly near the ocean surface, further aiding storm analysis.

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As Hurricane Milton barrels toward the west coast of Florida packing 155 mph winds, pilots are flying into the belly of the beast.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Aircraft Operations Center (AOC) houses a small fleet of “hurricane hunters,” which researchers deploy to predict a hurricane’s structure, intensity, and path. And with Milton forecast to remain a major hurricane when it impacts the Tampa area on Wednesday, the data they gather will be as important as ever.

Jack Daleo

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.