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As officials prepare for any hurricane, they rely on critical data that is collected by an Air Force team known as hurricane hunters by flying into the storm’s eye wall.
Maj. Kendall Dunn, a 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron Pilot, who oversaw the ground operations for the flights for Hurricane Sally, described what it’s like to be on these flights.
“We say it’s hours of boredom with moments of sheer terror and that’s the truth,” he told CNN. “You’re relaxed, you’re having some water and a drink and then all of a sudden, it’s 200 mile-an-hour winds. It’s up, it’s down. 2 G’s to negative G’s, winds all over place, jockeying aircraft, trying to keep it level while our meteorologists in the back are doing their job, gathering data.”
“It can get pretty hairy,” he added.
Every storm that gets a name becomes a personality to hurricane hunters and they’re surprised every time, Maj. Dunn said.
“It’s like every person you meet on the street. Some have a strong personality and some have a weak one and you’re surprised every time, he told CNN. “You make one pass through the storm. You know, each pass is about an hour and 45 minutes, getting into the mid of it. It could be nothing and then you come back in and it will shock you to death.”
Watch the interview:
