JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The recent hurricane season has ended, and there are several months until the next season officially starts on June 1. You might think that the crews of NOAA and the USAF Reserve hurricane hunter aircraft get a break during this time, but that’s not the case. They continue to fly missions focused on winter storms.
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According to NOAA, for the past two decades, from early November to mid-April, two types of aircraft—the NOAA G-IV and the USAF Reserve WC-130J—have been flying over the Gulf of Mexico, along the U.S. East Coast, and even over the Pacific Ocean.
They aim to gather crucial data on winter storms that can bring significant impacts, such as wind, rain, freezing rain, sleet, snow, and storm surge.
So, how do the crews know where and when to fly? Orders for these missions come from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction in College Park, Maryland.
Depending on where a winter storm will likely develop, the aircraft may be dispatched to the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean off the mid-Atlantic coastline, or possibly both.
They also fly over the Pacific Ocean, specifically between Hawaii and California, to monitor winter storms that may affect the U.S. West Coast, including atmospheric rivers.
Like tropical cyclones, these missions are coordinated through the Chief, Aerial Reconnaissance Coordination All Hurricanes (CARCAH) based at NOAA’s National Hurricane Center in Miami.
Similar to hurricane missions, the two aircraft collect different but complementary data. The NOAA G-IV operates at a high altitude (between 40,000 and 45,000 feet), while the USAF WC-130J flies at a lower altitude (between 24,000 and 30,000 feet).
During these flights, the aircraft deploys a series of dropwindsondes in data-sparse oceanic regions to gather information on temperature, wind, moisture, and pressure.
The data collected by the aircraft undergoes quality control by CARCAH and is incorporated into various computer models. This process helps improve the forecasting of high-impact winter storms, ensuring that the most accurate winter storm watches, warnings, and advisories are issued to keep everyone safe.