Hurricane Irma remains a Category 5 storm swirling away in the Atlantic Ocean, but that hasn’t stopped the Hurricane Hunters from flying through it.
A division of the US Air Force Reserves, the Hunters have a difficult job flying into storms to access their characteristics, and relay data back to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). But Irma is particularly notable for her sheer size and veracity.
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Currently boasting sustained wind in excess of 290km/h, with an eye larger than the island of Barbuda, it’s probably not a flight you’d want to go on more than once.
Video of a flight through the eye of #Irma on #NOAA42. Flights on both the WP-3D Orion and G-IV #NOAA49 continue. Credit Nick Underwood/NOAA pic.twitter.com/9ini4bOnYF
— NOAAHurricaneHunters (@NOAA_HurrHunter) September 5, 2017
The video was published by the Hurricane Hunters yesterday, receiving over 3800 retweets and 4500 likes. It also posted a few stills, which are somehow even more terrifying.
Inside the eye of #Irma on WP-3D Orion #NOAA42. This is referred to as the “stadium effect” https://t.co/iofV4p56DE Credit CDR Kibbey/NOAA. pic.twitter.com/dlUta2IbDL
— NOAAHurricaneHunters (@NOAA_HurrHunter) September 5, 2017
The posts also triggered the odd concerned GIF from concerned Twitter users.
— The Winter Soldier (@JimmyMcNulty181) September 6, 2017
— Matthew Spalding (@MatthewSpaldin6) September 6, 2017
— chevy76girl (@chevy76girl) September 5, 2017
Hurricane Irma has passed directly over Barbuda in the past few hours, and is set to continue moving west-northwest in the coming days.
Feature image: NASA/NOAA GOES Project
