The footage captured by “storm chasers” reveals the terrifying impact of Hurricane Lee on the East Coast of the United States.
On September 9, a short video of Hurricane Lee drew significant attention online, showcasing a series of lightning strikes, swirling clouds, and gusty winds, while a dark sky loomed above.
The U.S. Department of Defense released a video of Hurricane Lee from the storm’s eye. (Video: Space).
According to Space, the video was filmed from inside the eye of the hurricane. The footage was taken by “storm chasers” from the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron of the U.S. Air Force Reserve in Biloxi, Mississippi.
The video was subsequently released by the U.S. Department of Defense on September 9 and quickly captured the online community’s attention due to its timeliness.
To capture these incredible views, experts utilized the WC-130J Hercules aircraft – a “beast” specifically designed for specialized weather reconnaissance missions – to penetrate the hurricane’s eye.
The aircraft is equipped with specialized meteorological sensors, including hygrometers, barometers, and thermometers. Notably, this aircraft can fly continuously for nearly 18 hours, allowing the crew to gather long-term weather data.
According to information from the U.S. Air Force, the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron is the “only unit in the world capable of conducting regular weather reconnaissance missions.”
Terrifying view from inside the eye of the storm. (Image taken from the video).
Lee is the fourth named storm of the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season and the 13th storm overall. On September 8, Hurricane Lee intensified into a rare Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic for a short period before weakening to Category 4 later that evening.
According to the storm database from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), only 2% of hurricanes in the Atlantic reach Category 5. Including Lee, only 40 Category 5 hurricanes have occurred in the Atlantic since 1924.
Category 5 is also the highest rating on the hurricane wind speed scale in the Atlantic. By convention, a hurricane is classified as Category 5 when sustained winds reach 157 mph (252 km/h) or more.
The current storm has maximum sustained winds of 149 mph (241 km/h) and is located about 500 miles (800 km) east of the Leeward Islands.
Hurricane Lee has followed in the footsteps of Hurricane Matthew, becoming the third fastest intensifying storm in the Atlantic. To date, the extent of the damage caused by this hurricane to the East Coast of North America remains unassessed.
