KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss.

A WC-130J Super Hercules aircraft assigned to the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron flies in the eye of Hurricane Ian Sept. 27, 2022. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kristen Pittman) Share

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss.

Lt. Col. Dave Gentile, WC-130J aircraft commander, and Maj. Alex Boykin, pilot, fly a 53rd Weather Reconnaissance aircraft into Hurricane Ian Sept. 27, 2022. The 53rd WRS, or Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunters, fly missions into hurricanes to collect data for forecasters at the National Hurricane Center. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kristen Pittman) Share

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss.

Capt. Davis White, 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron aerial reconnaissance weather officer, monitors a radar screen during a flight into Hurricane Ian Sept. 27, 2022. The 53rd WRS, or Hurricane Hunters, fly missions into hurricanes to collect data for forecasters at the National Hurricane Center. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kristen Pittman) Share

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss.

The U.S. Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunters fly in the eye of Hurricane Dorian, Aug. 31, 2019. The WC-130J aircraft flew through the eye of the hurricane four times to gather weather data to determine the intensity and path. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Diana Cossaboom) Share

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss.

U.S. Naval Academy Midshipman First Class Julia Von Fecht, Training and Research in Oceanic and Atmospheric Processes in Tropical Cyclones Program team member, prepares a Navy Airborne Expendable Bathythermographs for deployment from a WC-130J Super Hercules during a Hurricane Hunter mission into Hurricane Dorian Aug. 31, 2019 over the Atlantic Ocean. The 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, an Air Force Reserve unit located at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi., gathered weather information during the mission into Hurricane Dorian. The data they gather is used by the National Hurricane Center for their forecasts. (U.S. Air Force photo by Lt. Col. Marnee A.C. Losurdo) Share

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss.

Inside the eye of Hurricane Dorian during a Hurricane Hunters mission Sep. 2, 2019. The 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, an Air Force Reserve unit located at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi., gathered weather information from inside Dorian. The data they gather is used by the National Hurricane Center for their forecasts. (U.S. Air Force photo by U.S. Navy Midshipman First Class Julia Von Fecht) Share

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss.

A WC-130J Super Hercules aircraft from the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, aka Hurricane Hunters, taxis its way to its parking spot after completing its mission into Hurricane Dorian, Sep. 5, 2019 at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi. The Hurricane Hunters, have flown 25 missions in support of Dorian. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Christopher Carranza) Share

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss.

1st Lt. Ryan Smithies, 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron pilot, flies a WC-130J Super Hercules in the eye of Hurricane Dorian Sep. 4, 2019 off the coast of Savannah, Georgia. During his mission Dorian was a category 2 hurricane and intensified into a category 3. (U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. Ryan Smithies) Share

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss.

Air Force Reserve Maj. Nicole Mitchell, aerial reconnaissance weather officer, 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, looks out her observation window while flying into Hurricane Irma Sep. 8, 2017. The Air Force Reserve 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron "Hurricane Hunters" fly WC-130J Super Hercules though the eye of active hurricanes to collect weather data using aircraft and externally dropped sensors to provide accurate weather data to the National Hurricane Center on approaching hurricanes. The Reserve Citizen Airmen provide 100 percent of the Air Force capability in low-level, real time data collection in Atlantic and Pacific Ocean tropical weather systems. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Kyle Brasier) Share

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss.

Air Force Reserve Maj. Nicole Mitchell, aerial reconnaissance weather officer, 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, records weather information while flying into Hurricane Irma, Sep. 8, 2017. The Air Force Reserve 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron "Hurricane Hunters" fly WC-130J Super Hercules though the eye of active hurricanes to collect weather data using aircraft and externally dropped sensors to provide accurate weather data to the National Hurricane Center on approaching hurricanes. The Reserve Citizen Airmen provide 100 percent of the Air Force capability in low-level, real time data collection in Atlantic and Pacific Ocean tropical weather systems. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Corban Lundborg) Share

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss.

An image of Hurricane Dorian taken from satellites the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration personnel use to track weather on Aug. 29, 2019, in the Atlantic Ocean. (Courtesy photo illustration by NOAA) Share

AIR DOMINANCE CENTER, Ga.

U.S. Navy Midshipman Suwen Jordan Sun helps read data for the Navy Airborne Expendable Bathythermographs deployed from the WC-130J Hercules during an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter mission from the Air Dominance Center, Savannah, Ga., Sept. 12, 2018. The 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, or Hurricane Hunters, provides critical and timely weather data for the National Hurricane Center to assist in providing up-to-date and accurate information for storm forecasts. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Chris Hibben) Share