Storm ChasersWhat is it like to fly into the middle of a hurricane?

Flying into a hurricane!Most people try to steer clear of hurricanes, not Chad Gibson. He flies right into them! Would that be scary to you? He is part of a group called Hurricane Hunters, which is part of the USA Air Force. They predict where a hurricane will go.

Winds don’t stop them!These guys fly into storms that have winds faster than 155 miles per hour! The group has already flown into several storms, this year. They predict more storms will come during this hurricane season, which last from June 1 to November 30. No matter what, they will be ready!

Storm Clouds Ahead!What is it like flying into a hurricane? It’s like soaring through a wall of clouds. Sometimes they can’t see anything at all! Then, there is the eye of the hurricane. It is the calm center of the hurricane. The rain stops and the skies turn gray to bright blue!

Measuring a Monster!The Hurricane Hunters fly into storms to find out as much as possible about them. They help meteorologists, or our weathermen, locate the center of the storm. They also tell weathermen how fast winds are and where the storm is going!

Safety First!The Weathermen determine when people need to evacuate, or leave for safer ground. They will let people know on the TV or radio. The Hurricane Hunters feel that the data they collect saves lives.