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The Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunters, a 403rd Wing unit at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, departed today for St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, to start flying reconnaissance into Tropical Storm Paulette. The Hurricane Hunters provide weather data from the storm to improve National Hurricane Center forecasts. (U.S. Air Force photo/Lt. Col. Marnee A.C. Losurdo)

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss.

CHARLESTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, S.C.

Maj. Kimberly Spusta, aerial reconnaissance weather officer for the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, talks with the loadmaster across from her during a flight into Hurricane Laura from Charleston International Airport, S.C. Aug. 26, 2020. The 53rd WRS operates out of Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., and plays an important role in the forecasting of tropical systems by flying directly into storms and collecting atmospheric data satellites cannot reach, improving the area of impact by up to 25 percent. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Kristen Pittman)

CHARLESTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, S.C.

1st Lt. Tim Viere, a pilot for the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, flies through the eye of Hurricane Laura from Charleston International Airport, S.C. Aug. 25, 2020. The 53rd WRS operates out of Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., and plays an important role in the forecasting of tropical systems by flying directly into storms and collecting atmospheric data satellites cannot reach, improving the area of impact by up to 25 percent. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Kristen Pittman)

CHARLESTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, S.C.

Maj. David Gentile, WC-130J pilot for the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, flies towards the sunset after a pass through Hurricane Laura from Charleston International Airport, S.C. Aug. 25, 2020. The 53rd WRS operates out of Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., and plays an important role in the forecasting of tropical systems by flying directly into storms and collecting atmospheric data satellites cannot reach, improving the area of impact forecast by up to 25 percent. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Kristen Pittman)

CHARLESTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, S.C.

Capt. Julie Fantaske, a navigator for the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, jots down notes during a flight into Hurricane Laura from Charleston International Airport, S.C. Aug. 25, 2020. The 53rd WRS operates out of Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., and plays an important role in the forecasting of tropical systems by flying directly into storms and collecting atmospheric data satellites cannot reach, improving the area of impact by up to 25 percent. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Kristen Pittman)

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss.

The Air Force Reserve's 403rd Wing, Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, relocated its aircraft today as Hurricane Marco and Tropical Storm Laura make their way to the U.S. Gulf Coast. The 815th Airlift Squadron relocated their aircraft to Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, and the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron will continue flying missions into both storms from Atlantic Aviation Charleston International Airport, South Carolina. (U.S. Air Force photo/Lt. Col. Marnee A.C. Losurdo)

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss.

The Air Force Reserve's 403rd Wing, Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, relocated its aircraft today Hurricane Marco and Tropical Storm Laura make their way to the U.S. Gulf Coast. The 815th Airlift Squadron relocated their aircraft to Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, and the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron will continue flying missions into both storms from Atlantic Aviation Charleston International Airport, South Carolina. (U.S. Air Force photo/Lt. Col. Marnee A.C. Losurdo)

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss.

The Air Force Reserve's 403rd Wing, Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, relocated its aircraft today as Hurricane Marco and Tropical Storm Laura make their way to the U.S. Gulf Coast. The 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron will continue flying missions into both storms from Atlantic Aviation Charleston International Airport, South Carolina. (U.S. Air Force photo/Lt. Col. Marnee A.C. Losurdo)

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss.

Maj. Mark Withee, 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron navigator, has been flying with the Air Force Reserve for five years and has more than 3,600 flight hours in the C-130. He said that his most memorable storm was a night flight during Hurricane Michael, because as they were tracking it, the Hurricane was rapidly intensifying and made his job that much more busy and exciting due to the constant changes in flightpaths as the storm neared land. (U.S. Air Force photo by Maj. Mark Withee)

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