On October 9, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shared a clip capturing the moment a plane carrying American meteorologists shook violently while flying through the position of Hurricane Milton.
The NOAA experts were conducting a flight using a four-engine propeller aircraft, the Lockheed WP-3D, over the area affected by Hurricane Milton to collect data that would improve hurricane forecasting and support research on the storm.
(Video: NOAA).
The video shows that as the aircraft moved through the area of Hurricane Milton, the atmospheric turbulence caused the entire plane to shake violently. Items in the cabin were strewn about, while the experts maintained their composure, balancing themselves and operating the equipment.
Many viewers of the video expressed admiration for the brave meteorologists who ventured into the storm area to study and forecast weather and natural disasters.
“I’m truly impressed by the efforts of the pilots and the team on board. I wish I could be part of this research activity; they have always been my idols,” commented a user on NOAA’s post on social media platform X.
According to NOAA, the scientists on the plane used specialized equipment to study wind speed, temperature, pressure, humidity, and other categories of weather forecast data.
The moment of turbulence on the aircraft carrying NOAA meteorologists as they flew through the position of Hurricane Milton.
As of the afternoon of October 8 (local time), Hurricane Milton had been downgraded to a Category 4 storm, but it still posed a significant risk of severe damage to the West Coast of Florida.
NOAA’s report indicated that high waves would devastate a large area, with some regions expecting water levels to rise over 3 meters. There was a particular warning for the central West Coast of Florida.
The storm is forecasted to make landfall on the West Coast of Florida on the evening of October 9. While the storm’s intensity may change, Milton remains an extremely dangerous hurricane.
On October 8, U.S. President Joe Biden emphasized the need to evacuate residents from areas that the storm would pass through as early as possible, stressing that this was a matter of life and death.
Previously, the Mayor of Tampa, the city expected to be directly hit by the storm, warned residents: “There has never been a storm as horrifying as this one. The Hurricane Helene was a wake-up call, but Hurricane Milton is truly a disaster. I am not exaggerating when I say that if you choose to stay and do not evacuate, you could die.”
