Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      Tech. Sgt. Zachary Zieman, 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron loadmaster and dropsonde operator, assists the aircrew with the engine startup prior to takeoff for a mission into Tropical Storm Chris July 8, 2018, to gather weather data for the National Hurricane Center for use in their forecasts. (U.S. Air Force photo/Maj. Marnee A.C. Losurdo)Hurricane Hunters fly Tropical Storms Beryl, Chris
                        
                        
                        Tech. Sgt. Zachary Zieman, 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron loadmaster and dropsonde operator, assists the aircrew with the engine startup prior to takeoff for a mission into Tropical Storm Chris July 8, 2018, to gather weather data for the National Hurricane Center for use in their forecasts. (U.S. Air Force photo/Maj. Marnee A.C. Losurdo)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

Hurricane Hunters fly Tropical Storms Beryl, ChrisPublished July 9, 2018
                    
                    By Maj. Marnee A.C. Losurdo
                    
                    
                    403rd Wing Public Affairs
            **KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. (AFNS)  --**The Air Force Reserve’s Hurricane Hunters spent the weekend flying weather reconnaissance missions into Tropical Storm Chris off the North Carolina coastline and Tropical Storm Beryl in the Caribbean Sea to gather data for the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
The 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron began flying missions out of Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, July 7, into then-Tropical Depression Three, which developed into TS Chris Sunday. That same day, three Hurricane Hunter aircraft departed for Curacao where they staged operations and began flying into TS Beryl July 8, which weakened into a tropical wave later that day.
The 53rd WRS, the only Department of Defense organization that flies weather reconnaissance, is expected to continue flying into TS Chris for the rest of the week, sending weather data by satellite communication to the NHC to improve their computer models that forecast movement and intensity, said Col. Robert J. Stanton, 403rd Wing vice commander and navigator who flew into TS Chris.
“We collect data such as pressure, wind speed, wind direction, relative humidity and temperature, as well as other information, and provide it to the NHC to assist them with their forecast and storm warnings and advisories,” said Maj. Ryan Rickert, 53rd WRS aerial reconnaissance weather officer.
Weather forecasters rely on satellites for information; however, oceans can be data sparse environments and satellites can’t provide information such as the interior sea level pressure of a hurricane or wind speed information, which is needed to predict hurricane development and movement, said Rickert.
According to NHC forecasts, TS Chris is expected to develop into a hurricane off the North Carolina coast July 9, and begin moving northeast July 10. The Hurricane Hunters flew one mission into TS Beryl, which weakened into a tropical storm from a hurricane July 7 and degenerated into a tropical wave July 8.
Providing information to the NHC has kept the squadron busy this week, and it’s not unusual for the Hurricane Hunters to fly multiple storms at the same time, said Stanton.
Their area of operation is large, extending from the middle of the Atlantic to just past the Hawaiian Islands, he said. And, through an interagency agreement, tropical weather reconnaissance is governed by the National Hurricane Operations Plan, which requires the squadron to support 24-hour a day continuous operations with the ability to fly up to three storms simultaneously and with a response time of 16 hours. Last year, the 10th busiest hurricane season on record, the squadron flew three hurricanes simultaneously which were Katia, Jose, and Irma.
Forecasters have projected this hurricane season to be an average one; however, whether it’s a busy or slow season, it only takes one storm with devastating impacts to a community to make it a bad one, so it’s important to be prepared, said Lt. Col. Jon Fox, 53rd WRS navigator, who flew into Katrina in 2005 and experienced the aftermath of a devastating storm.
“When in doubt, evacuate. Make sure you stay safe because hindsight is 20/20,” he said, adding the unit collects weather data for forecasts and advisories to assist the public with their hurricane preparedness and evacuation plans to ensure their safety.hurricane hunters 



403rd Wing 



Keesler AFB 



tropical storm 



weather 



reconnaissance 



mission 



53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron 



53rd WRS 



NHC 



National Hurricane Center 



Air Force 



AF 



Air Force Base Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                SecAF, CSAF, CMSAF begin Indo-Pacific trip focused on ACE
                    
                    DAF leaders talk budget, reoptimizing the force
                    
                    DAF leaders speak at National Character and Leadership Symposium
                    
                    DAF members recognized during BEYA STEM awards
                    
                    DAF senior enlisted advisors discuss Airmen, Guardians in the fightInnovation
                F-16s arrive to be modified for autonomous testing
                    
                    AFWERX director discusses role of tech startups, quick innovation in Great Power Competition
                    
                    DAF delivers lethality at the speed of data during Project Convergence Capstone 4
                    
                    DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalistsMAJCOM News
                Safety enterprise announces new mission, vision, goals in 2024 strategic plan
                    
                    Air Combat Command welcomes new commander
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander discusses Integrated Air, Missile Defense during Munich Security Conference
                    
                    Flosi to AFMC family: Embrace change, make every day count
                    
                    AMC rises to increasing global tension
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil