NOAA Hurricane Hunters collect data on Hurricane Lee
The NOAA Hurricane Hunters are flying round-the-clock missions to collect data on Hurricane Lee for forecasts and research. NOAA’s two WP-3D Orions are currently operating out of St. Croix.
NOAA deploys research jet to study atmospheric rivers
The NOAA Office of Marine and Aviation Operations deployed its Gulfstream IV-SP research jet to Hawaii in December to gather data on atmospheric rivers to help forecasters and water managers on the West Coast.
NOAA Hurricane Hunters provide critical data during busy 2022 Atlantic hurricane season
During the 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season, NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft flew more than 582 mission hours to collect atmospheric data that is critical to hurricane forecasting and research, passing through the eye of a hurricane 65 times and deploying over 1,700 scientific instruments.
NOAA aircraft surveys snowpack to determine flood risk
After a significant Lake Erie lake effect snow event, a NOAA King Air 350CER flew several surveys on Nov. 22 and 23 near Buffalo in western New York. These missions were tasked to measure snow water equivalent and determine flooding risk in case of a rapid melting event.
NOAA aircraft gather data on Hurricane Ida before, during and after the storm
From their base at the NOAA Aircraft Operations Center in Lakeland, Florida, the NOAA Hurricane Hunters flew nine missions to gather data crucial to forecasting Hurricane Ida’s track and intensity. NOAA’s high-altitude Gulfstream IV-SP jet flew three missions to sample the upper atmosphere over the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico. These missions aided forecasters as they developed storm track forecasts and determined if conditions were favorable for further development.
NOAA welcomes new Beechcraft King Air to its fleet of specialized aircraft
NOAA’s newest aircraft, a Beechcraft King Air 350 CER turboprop, aircraft has arrived at the NOAA Aircraft Operations Center in Lakeland, Florida. The new aircraft, designated N67RF, is outfitted with remote sensing equipment that will measure the water content of snow and soil — data that is used for flood, river level and water supply forecasts.
In Memoriam: Dr. James “Doc” McFadden
Colleagues, family, and friends mourn the passing on Sept. 28, 2020 of Dr. James “Doc” McFadden, a dedicated public servant who, over the course of his 57 year career, has immeasurably influenced the evolution of airborne data collection at NOAA. Dr.
NOAA Aircraft Operations Center expanding to support growing fleet
The NOAA Aircraft Operations Center (AOC) will be expanded under the terms of a new 20-year lease NOAA signed today with the City of Lakeland, Florida. Located at Lakeland Linder International Airport, AOC serves as the main base for NOAA’s current fleet of nine specialized environmental data-gathering aircraft, including the agency’s three “hurricane hunter” planes.