Airmen prepare a WC-130J Hercules for a mission to collect data, on St. Croix, Virgin Islands. Known as the "Hurricane Hunters," the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron mission is to provide surveillance of tropical storms and hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and the central Pacific Ocean for the National Hurricane Center in Miami. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Michael B. Keller)
When a hurricane barrels toward Florida, pilots with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or NOAA fly their jets — nicknamed “hurricane hunters” — into the storm.
The information they collect helps with forecasts and evacuation orders.
The planes, which are relied on by the National Hurricane Center to keep track of storms, are housed at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, but not for long. The base is evicting them.
The base is evicting NOAA’s planes because it expects to house more of its own aircraft there in a few years.
After having operated out of the base for more than 20 years, this year’s hurricane season will be the hurricane hunters last before its eviction next June.
U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Levi Denham, a WC-130J Hercules aircraft weather reconnaissance loadmaster assigned to the 53rd Reconnaissance Squadron, performs pre-engine start-up inspections in St. Croix, Virgin Islands, on Sept. 16, 2010. Known as Hurricane Hunters the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron’s mission is to provide surveillance of tropical storms and hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and the central Pacific Ocean for the National Hurricane Center in Miami. DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Manuel J. Martinez, U.S. Air Force. (Released)
U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Levi Denham, a WC-130J Hercules aircraft weather reconnaissance loadmaster assigned to the 53rd Reconnaissance Squadron, performs pre-engine start-up inspections in St. Croix, Virgin Islands, on Sept. 16, 2010. Known as Hurricane Hunters the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron’s mission is to provide surveillance of tropical storms and hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and the central Pacific Ocean for the National Hurricane Center in Miami. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Manuel J. Martinez)
Airmen prepare a WC-130J Hercules for a mission to collect data, on St. Croix, Virgin Islands. Known as the “Hurricane Hunters,” the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron mission is to provide surveillance of tropical storms and hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and the central Pacific Ocean for the National Hurricane Center in Miami. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Michael B. Keller)
While deployed in support of the National Weather Service, flightline personnel ensured aircraft were prepared to fly winter storm missions by de-icing them. The 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron Hurricane Hunters collect data ahead of winter storms to improve the accuracy of forecast models by 10 percent. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Master Sgt. Randy Bynon)
Hurricane Hunter Airmen from the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., load a WC-130J Hercules aircraft for a late-night mission into Hurricane Alex. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Jack Braden)
As day breaks over the Gulf of Mexico, an opening in the clouds allows the Hurricane Hunter aircrew a glimpse of the waterÕs surface. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Jack Braden)
A WC-130J Super Hercules takes off during a hurricane tracking mission Sept. 19, 2010, at the airport on St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. The aircraft assigned to the Air Force Reserve Command’s 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron will collect data on building tropical storms and hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Michael B. Keller)
A U.S. Airman with the 403rd Maintenance Squadron, Air Force Reserve Command directs a WC-130J Super Hercules aircraft for a hurricane tracking mission at an airport in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, Sept. 19, 2010. The aircraft collected data on Hurricane Igor in the Atlantic Ocean. (DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Michael B. Keller, U.S. Air Force/Released)
U.S. Air Force Maj. Sid Smith adjusts his instrument panel aboard a WC-130J Hercules aircraft during a mission Sept. 16, 2010, over the Atlantic Ocean to collect data on Hurricane Igor. Smith is a navigator with the “Hurricane Hunters” of the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron out of Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., whose mission is to provide surveillance information on tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and the central Pacific Ocean to the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Fla. (DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Michael B. Keller, U.S. Air Force/Released)
HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE — Tech. Sgt. Matt Couch, 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron loadmaster, communicates with the pilot as they prepare for a ten-hour mission into the remnant of Hurricane Felicia Aug. 9. Hurricane Felicia reached peak strength as a Category 4 storm with sustained winds of more than 145 mph. The 53rd WRS is a one-of-a-kind U.S. Air Force Reserve unit and the only Department of Defense organization still flying into tropical storms and hurricanes since 1944. Their fleet of 10 Lockheed-Martin WC-130J aircraft and crews are part of the 403rd Wing, based at Keesler Air Force Base, Biloxi, Miss. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Mike Meares)
“We got a little bit of time but not much,” said Michael Silah who is the commanding officer at NOAA’s aircraft operations center.
He said that the center is looking for a new home.
Silah said that the search is being done in two phases – short and long term. The first phase involves finding somewhere to house the planes for the next five years that’s within 50 miles of MacDill.
“That’s really to protect the work force,” he said.
Silah said that there’s value in staying in the same region.
“It’s nice to work out of a place that gives us access to the Gulf when we fly gulf storms,” he said.”It gives us access to the Caribbean when we fly Caribbean storms. Tampa really is perfect for that and so we hope to stay in that area.”
Since the Air Force Base made the call in February, federal lawmakers have also been trying to figure out where to put the hurricane hunters.
Republican Congressman David Jolly, who represents Pinellas County, said he first hoped to keep the NOAA planes at the Air Force Base by building a new center at MacDill. But, that would require some funding jujitsu because NOAA and MacDill operate under different agencies.
“And that might be a long term solution to have them remain at MacDill perhaps after this next five year contract,” said Jolly.
As NOAA plans its next steps, Jolly said that he wants the planes to stay local.
“It is a regional asset for us both in terms of protecting the public, in terms of public safety,” he said. “But in terms of 100 plus employees who work in NOAA ensuring that their lives aren’t disrupted and also the economic impact the economic footprint of having NOAA here and then simply it’s a assets that the region should be proud of.”
NOAA operates under the U.S. Department of Commerce. Jolly said that he met with its secretary to discuss the topic, and visited potential new locations for the planes.
Jolly said that he would like to see the hurricane hunters move next to St. Pete/Clearwater, which has both ramp and runway space.
“They also have hangar space and they have office space,” said Jolly. “NOAA could almost move in today. Tampa International Airport has some of that but not all of it but in the course of the year they probably could arrange to accommodate those three important criteria.”
Michael Silah said that they hope to announce the planes’ new location around December.
WUFT News News and Public Media for North Central Florida from the University of Florida in Gainesville
