Inside the Storm: Hurricane Hunters save lives from the sky
LAKELAND, Fla. (WFLA) – When a hurricane threatens the coast, most people board up, pack up, and head inland, but for a small but mighty team based in Lakeland, evacuation isn't part of the plan because their job is to fly directly into the eye of the storm.
They are NOAA's Hurricane Hunters, a brave crew of pilots, scientists, engineers, and flight directors who risk their lives to gather the data that helps meteorologists predict where hurricanes will go and how powerful they'll be when they arrive.
Surviving the Storm: A look back at 2024's wild hurricane season
'We just hit a pocket of lightning, and the whole interior of the aircraft lit up,' said NOAA pilot Andrew Reves, describing one of many intense flights. 'You can hear the radios pop.'
Flying into a hurricane takes an entire crew. It is tightly coordinated and scientifically essential. Each flight delivers real-time data to the National Hurricane Center in Miami — data that satellites alone can't provide.
'A lot of times, people ask if we're scared when we do this,' said Captain Nate Kahn, Commanding Officer at NOAA's Aircraft Operations Center. 'Absolutely. But in the moment, you're so focused, so trained, you're not afraid.'
Using two 50-year-old WP-3D Orion turboprop planes nicknamed Kermit and Miss Piggy, the Hurricane Hunters slice through intense rain bands. Despite their age, the aircraft haven't had major structural upgrades — they're designed to ride the storm, not fight it.
'We allow the storm to push us up and push us down,' Kahn explained. 'If we tried to maintain a set altitude, the storm would break the airplane.'
These planes often experience rapid vertical drops — sometimes 1,500 feet or more — in mere seconds, making each flight feel more like a rollercoaster than a routine operation. But it's what's inside that makes the difference: an array of sensors and instruments that collect detailed measurements of wind speed, barometric pressure, temperature, and humidity.
'It's sort of like taking a CAT scan of the storm,' said aerospace engineer Nick Underwood. 'All that data gets pushed together to give us a clear picture of how the storm is developing.'
One of the most critical tools is the dropsonde — a small device launched at specific points throughout the storm that transmits data as it falls. When combined with radar and other instruments, these tools provide the 3D model forecasters rely on.
'We're constantly communicating with the ground and making sure we're collecting the data that matters,' flight director Jon Zawislak said. 'That all goes into the models.'
While new technology is beginning to play a role — like autonomous drones that can fly within 100 feet of the ocean's surface — it's still the Hurricane Hunters who provide the highest-quality, in-storm data.
'We're using uncrewed systems to collect data we couldn't get any other way,' said Capt. Bill Mowitt, Director of NOAA's Uncrewed Operations Center. 'It's already showing us ways we can improve our models.'
For many of these scientists, the mission is personal. Some call Florida home — meaning they often fly into storms threatening their own neighborhoods.
'We were the crew on the final mission before Hurricane Milton made landfall,' Zawislak said. 'We could see the effects on Tampa Bay and St. Pete. We were flying right over it.'
And as hurricane season approaches, these men and women have one message for the people on the ground:
'Be prepared. That's what makes all of this worth it.'
From the heart of the storm to our local forecast, the data collected by the Hurricane Hunters is crucial for keeping communities safe.
WFLA's 'Surviving the Storm' Hurricane special is airing on May 31 at 7 p.m. You can watch it at 7 p.m. on air on WFLA News Channel 8 or through the
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