Flying into the eye of hurricane Irma

By Rick Moran September 10, 2017

One of the most valuable tools used by meteorologists to track the direction and power of a hurricane is a giant, WC130J Super Hercules aircraft, flown by the US Air Force on behalf of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The aircraft flies directly into the teeth of powerful storms, gathering vital data on wind speed and rotation. Coupled with satellite and ground measurements, that data allows meteorologists to develop models that predict the likely path of hurricanes several days in advance. But flying into a giant storm like Irma is no picnic, as this Reuters report demonstrates...........The danger to the crew is ever present and there have been numerous close calls over the years.But their work is vitally important and has saved many lives. Perhaps while you're praying for Irma's victims, you might add a word or two for the brave men and women who deliberately fly into danger to keep us safe. Read more

My Take - I've seen shows about this and how extremely difficult and dangerous task this is so I wondered - how many of these planes have been lost?  Well, it's "been 60 years since the first and only Hurricane Hunter plane crash in the Atlantic Basin, brought down by a tropical system it was investigating.  On Sept. 26, 1955, Hurricane Janet continued to strengthen, already a major hurricane, NOAA's Hurricane Research Division said. As the storm moved west through the Caribbean that morning, the U.S. Navy sent a reconnaissance mission into the storm to study its strength. Snowcloud Five left from Guantanamo Bay Naval Base and never returned."............"There have been other losses and close calls. In the Pacific, the Air Force has lost three aircraft and 25 crewmen in typhoons since reconnaissance flights began in 1943."