While Residents Fled Florida Weather Researchers Stormed Into Hurricane Milton With an Airplane

Hurricane Milton raised so much fear that a mayor told people that they would die if they stayed in the storm's path. But for scientists such hurricanes create research opportunities, UNILAD reported.

A research plane from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Aircraft Operations Center braved the storm to get as much data as possible about the hurricane. Experts will use this data to ensure that humanity is better prepared for something similar in the future. The staff in the aircraft recorded their experience weathering the storms, and the visual completely stupefied the viewers.

Hurricane Milton

Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida on October 9, CBS News reported. Over 20 people lost their lives to the destruction brought on by the storm. Hurricane Milton followed another disaster Hurricane Helene to Florida, CNN reported. Having already seen first-hand the destruction, a disaster of such kind can bring to the city, the Tampa Bay Mayor Jane Castor, did not mince her words, when it came to talking about the dangers of Hurricane Milton.

"I can say without any dramatization whatsoever: If you choose to stay in one of those evacuation areas, you’re gonna die,” she said. Florida authorities had selected certain areas of the cities as evacuation zones, where the storm was predicted to be the most intense. Castor's reaction was directed against people choosing not to leave those areas for varying reasons. 

NOAA's mission

NOAA sent the Lockheed WP-3D Orion aircraft into Hurricane Milton to get as much live data as possible about the storm, the New York Post reported. The agency claimed that the objective of the flight was to help improve the storm’s forecast. The plane had at least four researchers, as per the footage released on social media.

This is not the first time, the agency has sent a team into storms like these. "Our NOAA WP-3D Orion aircraft have been flying into storms for almost 50 years," said Jonathan Shannon, Public Affairs Specialist for NOAA Aircraft Operations Center. He added that it is important that the researchers interact with the storm when it is at its full strength because there is no other way to get the required data. "We basically take a weather station to the weather," he explained. 

Journey to Hurricane Milton

Nick Underwood, a researcher from NOAA recorded his and the team's experience in the storm and the agency uploaded it on social media. "Bumpy ride into Hurricane #Milton on @NOAA WP-3D Orion," @NOAA_HurrHunter wrote in the caption.

It was evident the aircraft was shaking because of the strength with which the winds were blowing at that time. The passenger window in the video revealed a gray sky with heavy rain in the surroundings. Underwood gave people a glimpse of the mess that had spilled in the aircraft because of the turbulence. He showed one of his colleagues holding a cooler tightly, to prevent it from flying away.

"When you get a chance, can you grab my wallet, too? Gotta keep these pockets zipped!" Underwood joked to the person. The video ended with Underwood exclaiming "Good God" after the plane made it to clearer skies. 

Netizens are Shocked

The netizens were shocked to witness the turbulence researchers had to go through amid Hurricane Milton. @SpaceStation22 was no longer worried about commercial flight problems.

They wrote, "I am no longer nervous about commercial turbulence." @TrueGameData was amazed at the progress humanity had made in terms of technology and commented, "It has always been amazing to me that we have planes that can safely fly into and through the strongest and most turbulent parts of the strongest hurricanes."