The
day starts with a glorious tropical sunrise as the
NOAA Hurricane Hunters head out to penetrate a rotating swirling mass
of clouds that we call a hurricane. Islands surrounded by turquoise
waters pass below. Soon the last islands have fallen far behind
as the P-3 Orion aircraft continues to the east. The ocean 
color
has taken a deep blue hue while puffy white cumulus are seen in every
direction. On the horizon far ahead looms a grey mass of clouds,
the outer bands of a hurricane. As the plane approaches the
bands, white caps appear below and then disappear as the first band
is penetrated. The eye of the hurricane is now seen clearly
on the radar and the pilot guides the plane towards the center of
the storm. Bands are passed through, each of which has increasingly
strong winds approaching the center. Finally the last circular
ring of clouds is entered. The pilots and science crew are all
strapped in to their seats doing their jobs. The plane is moving
up and down, hitting air pockets and dropping, being caught by rising
air currents and suddenly moving upward. Everything and everyone
is secured so nothing is flying about but the sensation is one of
being in a washing machine. Suddenly the plane pierces the eyewall
and enters into the calm and clear of the eye. A huge ring of
clouds dwarfs the aircraft as it flies through the eye. A few
minutes later, the plane reenters the eyewall clouds and goes from
calm to incredible fury. All the while scientists are monitoring
their instruments and taking readings. After running a transect
through the hurricane, the plane comes about and makes another penetration.
A few more penetrations and the P-3 returns to home base, refuels,
and prepares for another mission into the hurricane the next day,
all in the name of science and trying to help make better forecasts
and predictions for the people of the United States and Caribbean
..
