6 Chances to See Hurricane Hunter Aircraft

East Coast Tour – May 7-12  (click image to enlarge)

Hurricane Preparedness

East Coast Awareness Tour
Week of May 7th

Public invited to tour Air Force Reserve “Hurricane Hunter” aircraft

The NOAA Hurricane Hunters have an exciting and important activity next week -- a hurricane awareness tour! In an effort to build a Weather-Ready Nation, NOAA’s hurricane experts will tour six eastern cities in the U.S. and Canada to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for the upcoming hurricane season.

“Now is the time to prepare for the upcoming hurricane season – have your supplies ready and know where you will go when safe shelter is needed,” said Rick Knabb, Ph.D., director, NOAA’s National Hurricane Center, who will lead the tour. “With advanced planning, communities can better take a hit from nature and recover more quickly. Don’t wait for a storm to threaten – by then it may be too late.” 

Tour Schedule:
Public tour schedule (all times 2:30 pm to 5:00 pm except Gander)

• Sun., May 7: Gander International Airport, Gander, Newfoundland, Canada, 10:30 am to 3:00 pm 
• Mon., May 8: Long Island MacArthur Airport, N.Y.
• Tue., May 9: Reagan National Airport, Washington, D.C. (ends at 4:30 pm) 
• Wed., May 10: Raleigh-Durham Intl. Airport, Raleigh, N.C. 
• Thu., May 11: Orlando Executive Airport, Orlando, Fla. 
• Fri., May 12: Opa Locka Executive Airport, Opa Locka, Fla. 

NOAA has been conducting hurricane awareness tours like this for over 35 years, alternating between Gulf and Atlantic coasts.  Hurricane season begins June 1st and continues through November 30th. The tour will include a U.S. Air Force Reserve WC-130J hurricane hunter aircraft, which flies directly through the eye of a storm, the NOAA G-IV aircraft, which flies ahead of a storm, and at two stops, the NOAA WP-3D Orion research aircraft.   Read more...

The aircraft is piloted by officers of the NOAA Corps — one of the seven uniformed services of the United States — and based at the NOAA Aircraft Operations Center, located at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida.  NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Visit them on Facebook.
 

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Hurricane Preparedness Week:   
May 7-13, 2017