Hurricane Hunters Not a Job for the Faint of Heart

It's True - They Fly Right into the Eye of a Hurricane

The 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, known as the Hurricane Hunters of the Air Force Reserve, is one-of-a-kind: the only Department of Defense organization still flying into tropical storms and hurricanes--since 1944.  

The primary mission of the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron (53rd WRS) is to conduct tropical storm reconnaissance.   Tropical reconnaissance is governed by the National Hurricane Operations Plan. This plan specifics that the 53rd WRS will support 24 hour a day continuous operations and have the ability to fly up to 3 storms at a time with a response time of 16 hours.  Learn more about The Mission


As you can see in the video, it takes special people and equipment to complete these very critical missions.

More Videos:  Flying Into the  Eye of Irma (NOAA Hurricane Hunters)

There are five different flying jobs at the Hurricane Hunters. ALL jobs are part of the Air Force Reserve. Half of the positions are part-time (traditional reservists), and half are full-time (Air Reserve Technicians).  Learn more about The People   Want to know how to become a Hurricane Hunter? Find out here!

Hurricane Season in Atlantic
June 1 - November 30

Cyberflight into the Eye of a Hurricane
Join Us for a Virtual Storm Flight

You're just in time... head across the hall to our auditorium,
and join the crew for the pre-mission briefing ...    

Hurricane Hunters Not a Job for the Faint of Heart

It's True - They Fly Right into the Eye of a Hurricane

The 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, known as the Hurricane Hunters of the Air Force Reserve, is one-of-a-kind: the only Department of Defense organization still flying into tropical storms and hurricanes--since 1944.  

The primary mission of the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron (53rd WRS) is to conduct tropical storm reconnaissance.   Tropical reconnaissance is governed by the National Hurricane Operations Plan. This plan specifics that the 53rd WRS will support 24 hour a day continuous operations and have the ability to fly up to 3 storms at a time with a response time of 16 hours.  Learn more about The Mission


As you can see in the video, it takes special people and equipment to complete these very critical missions.

There are five different flying jobs at the Hurricane Hunters. ALL jobs are part of the Air Force Reserve. Half of the positions are part-time (traditional reservists), and half are full-time (Air Reserve Technicians).  Learn more about The People   Want to know how to become a Hurricane Hunter? Find out here!

Cyberflight into the Eye of a Hurricane

Join Us for a Virtual Storm Flight

You're just in time... head across the hall to our auditorium, and join the crew for the pre-mission briefing.

Briefing

Hurricane East Coast Awareness Tour 2011

C-130J Hurricane Hunter aircraft (Credit: NOAA)

Hurricane Preparedness

East Coast Awareness Tour
Week of May 2nd

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

NOAA hurricane experts will visit five U.S. East Coast cities aboard a NOAA hurricane hunter aircraft to raise awareness about storm threats and the danger of being caught without a personal hurricane plan. The five-day tour begins May 2.

Tour Schedule:

• Mon., May 2: Mass. Military Reservation, Falmouth, Mass., 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Tue., May 3: Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md., 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Wed., May 4: Cherry Point MCAS, N.C., 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Thur., May 5: International Airport, Savannah, Ga., 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Fri., May 6: Executive Airport, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

NOAA has been conducting hurricane awareness tours like this for 30 years, alternating between Gulf and Atlantic coasts.  Hurricane season begins June 1st and continues through November 30th.  Bill Read, director of NOAA’s National Hurricane Center, and his team will be on hand to conduct tours of the NOAA WP-3D Orion turboprop aircraft which is used primarily by scientists on research missions to study various elements of a hurricane, flying through the eye of the storm several times each flight.

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.
 

Hurricane Preparedness Week during 2011
May 22nd through May 28th

For additional information about hurricanes, including useful links, see the static  "Weather" tab above.  Last season we monitored several tropical storms which fortunately weren't as devastating as in some past years.  None of the storms made landfall in the United States.  Also see last year's Hurricane Preparedness series of articles:  Hurricane Preparedness for Cruisers

Hurricane Hunter Preparedness Events

C-130J Hurricane Hunter aircraft (Credit: NOAA)

Not the storm you are looking for?  Click Image or Here

Hurricane Preparedness

Atlantic, Mexico and Caribbean

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

NOAA and the U.S. Air Force Reserve are hosting a series of Hurricane Preparedness events in the Atlantic, Mexico, and Caribbean between March 18 and 27, 2010.  This is an early start to efforts to educate the public about hurricanes.

 A Hurricane Preparedness Web site has been launched by NOAA. The goal of this Web site is to inform the public about the hurricane hazards and provide knowledge which can be used to take ACTION. This information can be used to save lives at work, home, while on the road, or on the water.

Hurricane Preparedness Week: May 23rd through May 29th 2010

Tours of the Air Force Reserve Command’s WC-130J "hurricane hunter" aircraft will be available to residents, who will also have the opportunity to meet directors and staff including personnel from the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron of the 403rd Wing.


“The squadron is the only remaining military unit in the world which routinely flies into tropical cyclones to aid in the United States Hurricane Warning Program,“ said Lt. Col. Jonathan Talbot, Chief Weather Officer for the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron.

Locations and times for public tours are listed below (all times are local):

• Friday, March 19: Bermuda; 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  
• Monday, March 22: Mazatlan, Mexico; 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
  
• Tuesday, March 23: Merida, Mexico; 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  
• Wednesday, March 24: San Salvadore, El Salvadore, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  
• Friday, March 26: Antigua; 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
  
• Saturday, March 27: Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico; 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  

Hurricane season goes from June 1st through November. For additional information about hurricanes, including useful links, see the "Weather" tab above.  Last season we monitored several tropical storms which fortunately weren't as devastating as in some past years.