KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss.

Tech. Sgt. Larry Banks, 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron loadmaster, prepares to drop a simulated buoy from a WC-130J Super Hercules aircraft March 19, 2020, off the Gulf Coast of Mexico. The Hurricane Hunters train all year to maintain readiness. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Larry Banks) Share

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss.

Ashley Lundry, a flight director for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Hurricane Hunters in Lakeland Fla., stands in front of a Lockheed WP-3D Orion at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., Nov. 13, 2019. Lundry is also an aerial reconnaissance weather officer for the Air Force Reserve's 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron "Hurricane Hunters." (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Kristen Pittman) Share

SAN DIEGO

From left to right: Maj. Grant Wagner, 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron navigator, F. Martin Ralph, principal investigator for the Atmospheric River Recon program and director of the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes and Lt Col. Ryan Rickert, 53rd WRS aerial weather reconnaissance officer, work on a flight plan for the next atmospheric river mission Jan. 30 at San Diego, Calif. The Hurricane Hunters are slated to perform “AR recon” from January through March. Scientists led by Scripps at University of California, in partnership with the 53rd WRS, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Aviation’s National Weather Service, NOAA’s Office of Marine and Aviation Operations, will be on standby to fly through these ARs over the Pacific to gather data to improve forecasts. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Christopher Carranza) Share

TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif.

Clouds outside the starboard side of a 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron’s WC-130J Super Hercules aircraft over the Pacific Ocean, Jan. 28 during an atmospheric river mission. The Hurricane Hunters are slated to perform “AR recon” from January through March. Scientists led by Scripps Institution of Oceanography at University of California, San Diego, in partnership with the 53rd WRS, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Aviation’s National Weather Service, NOAA’s Office of Marine and Aviation Operations, will be on standby to fly through these ARs over the Pacific to gather data to improve forecasts. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Christopher Carranza) Share

TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif.

A WC-130J Super Hercules aircraft from the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron sits on the flightline prior to an atmospheric river mission Jan. 27 at Travis Air Force Base, Calif. The Hurricane Hunters are slated to perform “AR recon” from January through March. Scientists led by Scripps Institution of Oceanography at University of California, San Diego, in partnership with the 53rd WRS, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Aviation’s National Weather Service and Office of Marine and Aviation Operations, will be on standby to fly through these ARs over the Pacific to gather data to improve forecasts. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Christopher Carranza) Share

TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif.

Tech. Sgt. Victoria Kinman, 403rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, inspects the wings of a WC-130J Super Hercules aircraft from the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance on the flightline prior to an atmospheric river mission Jan. 27 at Travis Air Force Base, Calif. The Hurricane Hunters are slated to perform “AR recon” from January through March. Scientists led by Scripps Institution of Oceanography at University of California, San Diego, in partnership with the 53rd WRS, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Aviation’s National Weather Service, Office of Marine and Aviation Operations, will be on standby to fly through these ARs over the Pacific to gather data to improve forecasts. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Christopher Carranza) Share

SAN DIEGO

Proposed flight paths for the next atmospheric river missions Jan. 30 at San Diego, Calif. The Hurricane Hunters are slated to perform “AR recon” from January through March. Scientists led by Scripps at the Institute of Oceanography at University of California, in partnership with the 53rd WRS, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Aviation’s National Weather Service, NOAA’s Office of Marine and Aviation Operations, will be on standby to fly through these ARs over the Pacific to gather data to improve forecasts. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Christopher Carranza) Share

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss.

Col. Jeffrey A. Van Dootingh, 403rd Wing commander, commissions honorary 2nd Lt. Charles “Payton” Burge, of Carriere, Mississippi, during the Pilot for a Day program Dec. 19, at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss. The 403rd Wing collaborated with Make A Wish Mississippi who selects the children who will participate in the Program. (U.S. Air Force photo by Lt. Col. Marnee A.C. Losurdo) Share

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss.

Honorary 2nd Lt. Charles “Payton” Burge listens over his headset to Lt. Col. Sean Cross, 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron deputy director of operations, during the Pilot for a Day program Dec. 19, at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss. The 403rd Wing collaborated with Make A Wish Mississippi who selects the children who will participate in the program. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Christopher Carranza) Share

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss.

Honorary 2nd Lt. Charles “Payton” Burge (center) poses for a photo with family and Airmen of the base fire department, during the Pilot for a Day program Dec. 19, Keesler Air Force Base, Miss. The 403rd Wing collaborated with Make A Wish Mississippi who selects the children who will participate in the Program. (U.S. Air Force photo by Lt. Col. Marnee A.C. Losurdo) Share

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss.

Honorary 2nd Lt. Charles “Payton” Burge had the opportunity to ride in the base fire department’s P-19 Crash Truck, during the Pilot for a Day program Dec. 19, Keesler Air Force Base, Miss. The 403rd Wing collaborated with Make A Wish Mississippi who selects the children who will participate in the Program. (U.S. Air Force photo by Lt. Col. Marnee A.C. Losurdo) Share

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss.

Lt. Col. Sean Cross, 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron deputy director of operations, demonstrates how a dropsonde works to honorary 2nd Lt. Charles “Payton” Burge, during the Pilot for a Day program Dec. 19, at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss. The 403rd Wing collaborated with Make A Wish Mississippi who selects the children who will participate in the Program. (U.S. Air Force photo by Lt. Col. Marnee A.C. Losurdo) Share