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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.

Two pilots in blue flight suits at the controls of a NOAA King Air aircraft

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.

The eye of Hurricane Ida on NOAA WP-3D Orion N43RF Miss Piggy the morning of August 28, 2021

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.