WATCH: Video shows 'hurricane hunters' fly into Hurricane Milton
Florida residents have been bracing themselves for the category 5 hurricane that finally made landfall on the 9th of October.
Hurricane Milton has been making headlines as it approached the state of Florida in the USA, with residents evacuating to safety in fear of the dangerous storm.
US President Joe Biden begged residents to flee what he warned could be the worst natural disaster to hit the state in a century.
READ: Hurricane Milton tornadoes kill four in Florida amid rescue efforts
The storm has since made landfall and caused massive devastation.
While most people have been scared of what this hurricane is capable of, and rightfully so, others have fearlessly gone where very few people should go.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is "a science-based federal agency within the Department of Commerce" in the United States "with regulatory, operational, and information service responsibilities" and is present in every state and US territory.
READ: How Cape Town plans on reducing traffic and emptying their roads
The NOAA's Aircraft Operations department had the tough and slightly terrifying job of not just staying within Hurricane Milton's reach but flying directly into the storm.
Their nickname is 'hurricane hunters', and it makes sense.
NOAA's Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO) is in charge of the agency's aircraft, and they have quite a job.
The aircraft operate throughout the world, and they have many capabilities.
This includes hurricane reconnaissance and research.
READ: South African billionaire offers advice for those staying in SA
Scientists and specialised equipment are all aboard these flights, ready to conduct research and obtain valuable information.
During the recent hurricane activity, the agency shared a video of their team flying into the storm, and it looked incredibly terrifying.
Watch the video here:
Bumpy ride into Hurricane #Milton on @NOAA WP-3D Orion #NOAA43 "Miss Piggy" to collect data to help improve the forecast and support hurricane research.
— NOAA Aircraft Operations Center (@NOAA_HurrHunter) October 8, 2024
Visit https://t.co/3phpgKNx0q for the latest forecasts and advisories
Visit https://t.co/UoRa967zK0 for information that you… pic.twitter.com/ezmXu2Zqta
In the video, items go flying around because of the intense turbulence, but the crew on board are still cracking jokes.
This job isn't for the faint of heart, but the work the agency does helps save lives.
Jonathan Shannon, Public Affairs Specialist for NOAA Aircraft Operations Center, told the New York Post that the aircraft has been doing trips like these for close to half a decade.
The team on the ground cannot get this important data our forecasters need at this scale and resolution any other way. We basically take a weather station to the weather. The best analogy I’ve heard is it is like riding an old wooden roller coaster through a car wash.
You can see the inside of the hurricane, or the eye of the storm, here:
Inside the eye of Hurricane #Milton earlier today on @NOAA WP-3D Orion #NOAA43 "Miss Piggy." These missions collect data to help improve forecasts and support hurricane research.
— NOAA Aircraft Operations Center (@NOAA_HurrHunter) October 9, 2024
Visit @NHC_Atlantic and https://t.co/3phpgKNx0q for the latest forecasts/advisories.
Visit… pic.twitter.com/bgecJN0UDA
Tune in to 'The Drive with Rob & Roz', on weekdays from 16:00 - 19:00. Stream the show live here or download our mobile app here.
Listen to Jacaranda FM:
- 94.2
- Jacaranda FM App
- http://jacarandafm.com
- DStv 858/ OpenView 602
Follow us on social media:
Main image courtesy of @NOAA_HurrHunter/X