Avgeekery.com
  • Military
    • Fighter Aircraft
    • Military Transport
  • Commercial
    • Commercial News
    • Ancient Airlines
  • General Aviation
    • Airshows
    • Space
    • Experimental
    • Drones
    • Vintage
  • Join Our Team
Avgeekery.com
  • Military
    • Fighter Aircraft
    • Military Transport
  • Commercial
    • Commercial News
    • Ancient Airlines
  • General Aviation
    • Airshows
    • Space
    • Experimental
    • Drones
    • Vintage
  • Join Our Team
112K
0
4K
  • Military Transport

Hurricane Hunters C-130Js Perform Fixed Missions into Cristobal

  • June 4, 2020
  • No comments
  • 2 minute read
  • Charles Atkeison
A WC-130J Super Hercules from the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron departs Keesler AFB on Wednesday to study Tropical Storm Cristobal. (USAF)
Total
146
Shares
146
0
0

BILOXI, Miss. — The Air Force Reserves Hurricane Hunters are performing multiple flights this week into Tropical Storm Cristobal, gathering weather data to forecast the storm’s path and intensity.

As the third named tropical storm spins over southern Mexico, Keesler AFB’s 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron is working around the clock today. The squadron has ten WC-130J Super Hercules aircraft they rotate to perform several fixed mission flights into the center of Cristobal each day.

The storm is forecast to push northward on Friday, and begin its landfall over Louisiana late-Sunday evening. Gradual strengthening is expected as the system moves across the warm gulf waters.

The Hurricane Hunter’s Mission

Each fixed mission flown by the 53rd WRS collects weather data such as temperature, wind speed and direction, and surface pressure. Each C-130J crew also fly an alpha pattern to help locate the center of a named storm.

Hurricane Hunter pilot Maj. Jesse Rosal communicates with his crew during a fixed mission. (USAF)

As the system becomes a named storm, the C-130Js will fly at higher altitudes from 5,000 to 10,000 feet based on the storm’s intensity. Each aircrew may fly through the storm’s center up to six times per flight to locate the low-pressure center.

The Hurricane Hunters remind the public that radar and weather balloons are not available in large areas of the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. The 53rd’s flights gather exact information and then relay it to the National Hurricane Center.

aerial reconnaissance weather officer MAJ. JEREMY DEHART reviews data prior to sending the data to the National Hurricane Center. His location is in the forward right side of the C-130J’s cargo bay. (USAF)

“Satellites are great these days, but they’re still missing a lot of information that cannot be collected via satellite,” Capt. Black added. “It is important we get into the storm environment and sample in three dimensions: what’s going on in the storm by releasing our dropsondes, observing the surface of the water, and getting all the data at flight levels to create that big picture of the storm to be ingested by forecast models and minimize errors.”

Hurricane Hunters record Cristobal’s wind speed and central pressure on Wednesday. (USAF)

While inside the storm, the aircraft will launch several parachute buoys to collect weather data. The aircrews relay weather data from the aircraft’s sensors and the dropsondes by satellite to the hurricane center. This in turn provides the NHC with exact data to assist in creating new forecasts and storm warnings.

The 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron will also perform extended flights over the Pacific to investigate active systems. During recent years, the aircraft flew into hurricanes in the eastern Pacific and near Hawaii.

(Charles A. Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)

Total
146
Shares
Share 146
Tweet 0
Pin it 0
Charles Atkeison
Charles Atkeison

Charles A Atkeison is a long time aerospace journalist having covered both military and civilian aviation, plus 30 space shuttle launches from Cape Canaveral. He has produced multimedia aerospace content for CNN, London's Sky News, radio, print, and the web for twenty years. From flying with his father, a pilot, at age 5 to soaring as a VIP recently with the Navy's Blue Angels and USAF Thunderbirds, Charles continues to enjoy all aspects of flight. Charles regularly shares his content with Avgeekery.

Related Topics
  • 53rd WRS
  • C-130J Super Hercules
  • Cristobal
  • Hurricane Hunters
  • tropical storm
You May Also Like
View Post
  • Military Transport

The Carbon Comet: Lockheed’s X-55A Carbon Fiber Airlifter

  • Bill Walton
  • March 2, 2021
View Post
  • Military Transport

McDonnell Douglas Once Proposed A DC-10 For Air Force One

  • Brian Wiklem
  • January 20, 2021
View Post
  • Military
  • Military Transport

Air Refueling – Inherently Dangerous, Made Less So Through Training

  • Chris Turner
  • September 7, 2020
View Post
  • Military Transport

Blue Angels New C-130J ‘Fat Albert’ Unveiled

  • Charles Atkeison
  • June 30, 2020
View Post
  • Military
  • Military Transport

Commando II: The Latest Shadowy Special Ops Hercules

  • Bill Walton
  • June 18, 2020
View Post
  • Military
  • Military Transport

WATCH and LISTEN to FRED and That Fine TF39 Whine

  • Bill Walton
  • February 29, 2020
View Post
  • Military
  • Military Transport

WATCH: C-5M Super Galaxies Quick-Turn at Prestwick

  • Bill Walton
  • February 25, 2020
Antonov AN-22
View Post
  • Military
  • Military Transport

AN-22: The World’s Biggest Turboprop That Sounds Like A Buzz Saw

  • Avgeekery
  • October 26, 2019
Follow us on Instagram
avatar
avgeekery
Avgeekery
4K Followers
Short, stubby, and more modern looking.  The 'new-ish' United colors look pretty good on an Airbus A320 but make it look shorter.  What do you think? 66 4
No gear necessary where we’re going.  Can you name the plane? #avgeek #avgeekery #aviationdaily #avporn #instagramaviation #pilot #instaaviation #planespotting #aviators #instaplane #boeing #airbus #aviator #pilotlife #megaplane #airplanes #avgeeks #planes #airport #avnerd #airline #flying #aviation_lovers #flight #aviationlife #avgeek #airplanelovers #aviationlovers #airlines #aviationphotography #planelovers 110 9
Who is going flying this weekend?  Tell us where you’re headed.  #avgeekery #cirrus #sr22 #avgeek #privatepilot #atp #pilotlife #100dollarhamburger 51 0
Delta Air Lines A220-300 arrives at Austin Bergstrom International Airport after a flight from Atlanta.  While they are no Mad Dog, the 2-3 seating, modern cabin, and full size window in the bathroom make it pretty unique.  #a220 #airbusa220300 @delta #KAUS #austinspotters #avgeek #avgeekery @instaaviation @combat_learjet @instagramaviation 66 1
Follow
Avgeekery.com
  • Military
  • Commercial
  • General Aviation
  • Join Our Team
Avgeeks sharing our love of aviation.
Short, stubby, and more modern looking.  The 'new-ish' United colors look pretty good on an Airbus A320 but make it look shorter.  What do you think? 66 4
No gear necessary where we’re going.  Can you name the plane? #avgeek #avgeekery #aviationdaily #avporn #instagramaviation #pilot #instaaviation #planespotting #aviators #instaplane #boeing #airbus #aviator #pilotlife #megaplane #airplanes #avgeeks #planes #airport #avnerd #airline #flying #aviation_lovers #flight #aviationlife #avgeek #airplanelovers #aviationlovers #airlines #aviationphotography #planelovers 110 9
Who is going flying this weekend?  Tell us where you’re headed.  #avgeekery #cirrus #sr22 #avgeek #privatepilot #atp #pilotlife #100dollarhamburger 51 0
Delta Air Lines A220-300 arrives at Austin Bergstrom International Airport after a flight from Atlanta.  While they are no Mad Dog, the 2-3 seating, modern cabin, and full size window in the bathroom make it pretty unique.  #a220 #airbusa220300 @delta #KAUS #austinspotters #avgeek #avgeekery @instaaviation @combat_learjet @instagramaviation 66 1
Something special in the air. An @americanair Boeing 737 departs Austin Bergstrom International bound for DFW.  The 35 minute flight is just enough time to get to 24,000 feet before they descend back down.  Pilots check in with Fort Worth center, grab the latest weather, flick the seat belt sign off, put it back on then head back down.  #avgeek #avgeekery #boeing #boeing737 #737ng #americanairlines #kaus #austinbergstrom @aircrewlife @aastews  #instaaviation 89 0
Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-800 turning off Runway 35R at Austin Bergstrom International Airport.  This photo was taken from the new observation area.  It's a great place to spot airplanes in the morning.  The setting sun makes photography a bit more challenging.  #KAUS #austinbergstromairport #avgeek #avgeekery @southwestair @ausairport @austinspotter @ausspotting @instaaviation @combat_learjet @swaramprat #boeing737 #winglets #pilotlife #crewlife #ausspotters #atxspotters 83 1

Input your search keywords and press Enter.