Hunting Hurricanes

This time of year is especially busy for Waddington. It’s the middle of hurricane season, which lasts from June through November. Hurricanes are powerful spinning storms that form over the ocean. They bring heavy rains and swirling winds that can top 150 miles per hour. Hurricanes that reach land can topple trees, flood towns, and destroy homes and businesses.

Knowing when and where a big storm will hit can save lives. That’s where hurricane hunters come in. During a flight, crew members release devices called dropsondes (DRAHP-sondz). They’re long tubes attached to small parachutes. As dropsondes fall through a storm, they record the temperature, wind speed and direction, and other measurements. 

A crew member aboard the plane sends all that information to the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida. Meteorologists there use the data to predict a hurricane’s path and intensity when it reaches land. They warn people to evacuate, or flee to safety, if the storm is headed their way.

“Sometimes, the data we collect is used to tell people to leave their homes and might save their lives,” Waddington says. “That’s definitely the most rewarding part of the job.”

This time of year is especially busy for Waddington. It’s the middle of hurricane season. The season lasts from June through November. Hurricanes are powerful spinning storms. They form over the ocean. They bring heavy rains and swirling winds. The winds can top 150 miles per hour. Some hurricanes reach land. Those storms can topple trees and flood towns. They can also destroy homes and businesses.

Knowing when and where a big storm will hit can save lives. That’s where hurricane hunters come in. During a flight, crew members release devices called dropsondes (DRAHP-sondz). They’re long tubes attached to small parachutes. Dropsondes fall through a storm. They record different measurements. These include the temperature, wind speed, and wind direction. 

A crew member aboard the plane sends all that information to the National Hurricane Center. That’s located in Miami, Florida. Meteorologists at the center use the data to predict a hurricane’s path. They also predict what the storm’s intensity will be when it reaches land. They might warn people in the storm’s path to evacuate, or flee to safety.

“Sometimes, the data we collect is used to tell people to leave their homes and might save their lives,” Waddington says. “That’s definitely the most rewarding part of the job.”

NOAA’s hurricane hunters might fly several missions to track a single storm before it reaches land. Some of the planes fly directly into hurricanes. Waddington compares those planes to rhinos that “bust right through” the center of the storm.

But the jet she pilots usually flies high above hurricanes. Waddington says the jet is built for speed, like a cheetah. 

“We fly much faster, so we can cover a lot of area,” she says. 

This enables her crew to not only study the storm but also monitor the conditions in the area it’s moving toward. She explains that this tells meteorologists a lot about the future path of the storm.  

Each mission is demanding and takes about eight hours. Waddington says night flights can be especially challenging. 

“We’re probably some of the only pilots who say, ‘Gosh, I wish there was more lightning,’” she explains. “It helps us see where the clouds are so we can better avoid them.” 

Waddington says people sometimes give her strange looks when she tells them what she does for a living. But she wouldn’t trade it for anything. 

“We are just scientists who understand the importance of the data we collect,” she says. “And we love flying!” 

NOAA’s hurricane hunters study storms before they reach land. They might fly several missions to track a single storm. Some of the planes fly directly into hurricanes. Waddington compares those planes to rhinos. She says they “bust right through” the center of the storm.

But the jet she pilots usually flies high above hurricanes. Waddington says the jet is built for speed, like a cheetah. 

“We fly much faster, so we can cover a lot of area,” she says. 

This enables her crew to monitor the conditions in the area the is storm moving toward. This tells meteorologists a lot about the future path of the storm.  

Each mission is demanding. It takes about eight hours. Night flights can be especially challenging. 

“We’re probably some of the only pilots who say, ‘Gosh, I wish there was more lightning,’” Waddington explains. “It helps us see where the clouds are, so we can better avoid them.” 

People sometimes give Waddington strange looks when she tells them about her job. But she wouldn’t trade it for anything. 

“We are just scientists who understand the importance of the data we collect,” she says. “And we love flying!” 

1. What contrast does the author draw between hurricane hunters and other pilots?

2. Describe the steps hurricane hunters take to help keep people safe.

3. What are some challenges that hurricane hunters face?

1. What contrast does the author draw between hurricane hunters and other pilots?

2. Describe the steps hurricane hunters take to help keep people safe.

3. What are some challenges that hurricane hunters face?