Hurricane Hunters
Links:
NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AMOL) – Hurricane Research Division
Muppets Go Flying with NOAA's Hurricane Hunter Aircraft
Credits:
NOAA Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio
NOAA Aircraft Operations Center
NOAA AMOL – Hurricane Research Division
Download 640 x 360 (18.2 MB) 1280 x 720 (100.9 MB)
Transcript
Radio from aircraft:
"John, how far north are we going to be going on the, uh, northbound track?"
"108 miles north of the eye"
"Ok – great."
Narrator:
The job of a hurricane hunter is not for the faint at heart. These brave
men and women must fly straight into one of the most destructive forces in
nature.
Narrator:
Hurricanes are born over the open ocean, and while satellites can track their
movement, meteorologists and researchers need to sample the storms directly
to get the most accurate information about them.
Narrator:
NOAA's hurricane hunter fleet includes two P-3 turboprop aircraft as well
as a Gulfstream IV jet. The P-3s fly through the storm, encountering devastating
winds that can be over 150 miles per hour. The jet can fly higher than the
turboprops, gathering data from the upper atmosphere.
Narrator:
Both planes have high tech equipment on board to get the job done, like radar
and fixed probes that measure particles in the air.
Scientists also deploy dropwindsondes, which parachute down through the hurricane to the ocean surface, sending back data on pressure, temperature, humidity, and wind.
Narrator:
These measurements can help us understand the structure of a storm
and the winds that are steering it. The data is used in computer models that
help forecasters predict how intense the hurricane will be, and where and
when it will strike land.
Narrator:
Hurricane hunters take a literal look into the eye of a monster formed by
nature. Their courage helps further science, which saves lives.