Summary Slow Atlantic hurricane season may be changing with notable weather disturbances in the Caribbean. Texas and Louisiana forecasted for significant rainfall as tropical storm develops into hurricane. Air Force Reserve hurricane hunters sent to investigate the brewing storm for critical data.
The Atlantic hurricane season appears to have been off to a slow start this year, with an unusually quiet August and early September (the hurricane season runs until November 30th and peaks on Tuesday). Previously, experts had expected one of the busiest Atlantic hurricane seasons on record. However, there are now some notable weather disturbances in the Caribbean.
The Air Force is sending its "hurricane hunters" to investigate powerful tropical storms brewing in the Caribbean and Atlantic. Tropical storm brewing for Texas Forecasts predict significant rainfall for parts of Texas and Louisiana this week as the system in the Caribbean drifts northwestward over the next couple of days. The brewing storm is expected to develop into a tropical storm and possibly a hurricane.
Donald Jones, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, stated , “We’ve seen it before, where we have these rapid spin-up hurricanes in just a couple of days or even less. So that is not out of the realm of possibility here .” The Voice of America reported that Jones also said that an Air Force Reserve hurricane hunter aircraft was scheduled to investigate the tropical disturbance later on Sunday and gather more data.
So far, the hurricane season has seen five named storms - with Hurricane Beryl cutting out the power to almost 3 million people primarily in the Houston area. It may seem like risky business, but this work can be crucial! The 53rd's Hurricane Hunters The 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, better known as the Hurricane Hunters , is the only US Air Force unit still flying into tropical storms and hurricanes. It is based at Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi and has ten modified Lockheed WC-130J aircraft.
WC-130Js carry five crew (the pilot, co-pilot, navigator, flight meteorologist, and weather reconnaissance loadmaster). The flight meteorologist acts as the flight director and observes and records meteorological data, while the weather reconnaissance loadmaster collects and records vertical meteorological data using the drop sonde (a parachute-borne sensor). The 53rd's aircraft are specially designed to fly into tropical storms in the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic, and Central Pacific.
The Air Force states , " These Super Hercules aircraft are equipped with palletized meteorological data-gathering instruments. The WC-130J is the next generation "Hurricane Hunter" designed to continue weather reconnaissance well into the 21st century ." NOAA also has its own fleet of "hurricane hunters.
" The organization states, " NOAA pilots, planes, and researchers fly into the world's worst weather. Data collected by the agency's high-flying meteorological stations help forecasters make accurate predictions during a hurricane and help hurricane researchers achieve a better understanding of storm processes, improving their forecast models.".
