'Hunters' in eye at landfall

KEESLER AFB, Miss. - The “Hurricane Hunters” of the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron flew four straight days inside Hurricane Michael, and on Oct. 10, when the Category 4 storm made landfall near Mexico Beach, Fla., the unit was again in its eye. Col. Robert J. Stanton, 403rd Wing vice commander and navigator, said that only after passes two and three were they able to get better readings because the storm began better development. The Florida Panhandle was ground zero from the get-go, but “Michael was different than others,” said Capt. Kelsie Carpenter, 53rd WRS aerial reconnaissance weather officer, “because the track pretty much stayed the same. “The 53rd WRS sent data to the National Hurricane Center and watched it grow to a “Cat 2”. By the time of landfall it was a Cat 4. The 53rd WRS AF reserve squadron is the only Defense Department unit that flies reconnaissance missions into severe tropical weather to gather data for the NHC to improve their forecasts and storm warnings. In all, the squadron flew nine missions into Hurricane Michael to gather this information. (Source: Keesler AFB 10/11/18)