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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" deploy specialized aircraft (WP-3Ds like "Kermit" and "Miss Piggy," and a Gulfstream IV-SP named "Gonzo") to fly into and around major hurricanes like Milton.
These missions gather crucial real-time data on the hurricane's structure, intensity, and path using tools such as dropsondes and tail doppler radar.
The collected data is immediately transmitted to the National Hurricane Center (NHC) to refine forecasts and provide critical warnings for highly populated and vulnerable regions, like Florida's west coast.
NOAA also utilizes uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) launched from P-3s to collect data in hazardous areas near the ocean surface, complementing the crewed reconnaissance efforts.

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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.