Irene's Eye Drops

Lt. Col. Jon Talbot, an Aerial Reconnaissance Weather Officer for the 53rd Weather Reconnaissaince Squadron, briefs a small group of media about Hurricane Irene prior to their flight. Local, national and international media outlets frequently join the Hurricane Hunters aboard storm flights for some "in the field" coverage of the mission. A typical hurricane mission lasts 10-12 hours and involves four to five end-to-end trips into the eye of the storm, each time administering eye drops necessary for gathering data needed to more accuractly predict its path. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Justin Pearce)