• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Terrifying footage of research plane flying directly into Hurricane Milton reveals what it's really like inside the storm

Home> News> US News

Published 07:29 9 Oct 2024 GMT+1

Terrifying footage of research plane flying directly into Hurricane Milton reveals what it's really like inside the storm

Video shot from a research plane shows what it's like in the midst of the hurricane

Kit Roberts

Kit Roberts

When it comes to places you shouldn't fly a plane, 'into the middle of a hurricane' is probably quite high on the list.

But that doesn't stop the brave folks who study the weather in the US from doing just that, as terrifying footage shows.

The clip shows an aircraft from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Aircraft Operations Center flying into Hurricane Milton.

Such operations are frequently carried out by the organisation to carry out scientific research directly from the centre of severe weather.

Advert

Aircrafts will collect data to help improve the forecast for the storm as well as inform our knowledge about hurricanes for the future.

The planes are effectively a mobile weather station and can take all manner of readings right from the midst of the action.

NOAA Aircraft Operations Center public affairs specialist Jonathan Shannon told the New York Post: “Our NOAA WP-3D Orion aircraft have been flying into storms for almost 50 years."

No thank you (X / @NAOO_HurrHunter / NOAA Aircraft Operations Center)
No thank you (X / @NAOO_HurrHunter / NOAA Aircraft Operations Center)

Advert

Shannon explained that the flights are important as scientists 'cannot get this important data our forecasters need at this scale and resolution any other way.'

He added: "We basically take a weather station to the weather."

As for the actual experience of flying itself, needless to say it makes the average turbulence on a commercial flight look like a walk in the park in comparison.

Shannon said: “The best analogy I’ve heard is it is like riding an old wooden roller coaster through a car wash.”

Advert

Nonetheless, the crew on board this flight were all calm as they collected their data as their plane was buffeted about by the storm.

The video shows inside the aircraft, with things being tossed about inside the cabin.

The team were cool and collected in the cabin (X / @NAOO_HurrHunter / NOAA Aircraft Operations Center)
The team were cool and collected in the cabin (X / @NAOO_HurrHunter / NOAA Aircraft Operations Center)

It was shot by Programs Integration Engineer Nick Underwood, who can be heard to ask “Can you grab my phone real quick?”

Advert

He added: “When you get a chance, can you grab my wallet too? Gotta keep these pockets zipped!”

The video was tweeted out by the NOAA Aircraft Operations Center with the caption: "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."

People were left impressed by the team's dedication to helping predict the weather.

One wrote: "It has always been amazing to me that we have planes that can safety fly into and through the strongest and most turbulent parts of the strongest hurricanes."

Advert

Another wrote: "Impressive work by the pilots and crews on board!"

A third said what many of us might be thinking, joking: "I am no longer nervous about commercial turbulence."

Featured Image Credit: Twitter/@NOAA_HurrHunter

Topics: News, US News, Weather, Science

Kit Roberts
Kit Roberts

Kit joined UNILAD in 2023 as a community journalist. They have previously worked for StokeonTrentLive, the Daily Mirror, and the Daily Star.

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

3 hours ago
4 hours ago
  • 3 hours ago

    Patient dies of plague in extremely rare case after health officials issued chilling warning

    The plague is likely to have come from rodents like prairie dogs, whose colonies are known to carry case after case of the disease

    News
  • 4 hours ago

    Conjoined twin Carmen Andrade announces marriage as sister Lupita explains why she ‘doesn’t want to get hitched’

    Carmen Andrade revealed she got married seven months ago in secret in a YouTube video

    News
  • 4 hours ago

    Psychotherapist reveals the one reason people cheat and explains why it happens

    A psychotherapist with 45 years working as a sex therapist has detailed why she believes people cheat, and explains how you can prevent it

    News
  • 4 hours ago

    Trump slammed for disturbing description of Texas floods that makes people ‘want to throw up’

    Trump seemed to really irk people by what he said

    News
  • Meteorologist's ashes dropped into the eye of Hurricane Milton by plane to fulfil heartwarming dream
  • Shocking footage shows deadly tornado outbreak tearing through town as Hurricane Milton makes landfall
  • 'Terrifying' simulation shows what Hurricane Milton's potential disastrous surge impact can look like
  • Security guard films inside stadium intended to shelter 10,000 people as roof gets ripped off during Hurricane Milton