Airmen assigned to the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., deployed to the U.S. Virgin Islands as they collect data on Hurricane Fiona while it remains a threat to land.
The squadron, known as the “Hurricane Hunters,” is the only operational unit in the world flying weather reconnaissance on a routine basis. Its missions provide atmospheric data that forecasters use to create more accurate models.
The Hurricane Hunters began flying Fiona on Sept. 15, when it was a tropical storm.
It made landfall as a hurricane in Puerto Rico on Sept. 18, knocking out power to the island and causing widespread devastation. The governor of Puerto Rico activated more than 450 members of the Puerto Rico National Guard to assist with response efforts.
