U.S. hurricane forecasters embark on preparedness mission to the Caribbean

Public invited to tour U.S. Air Force Reserve ‘Hurricane Hunter’ aircraft
Photo showing People line up to board the U.S. Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft during the Caribbean Hurricane Awareness Tour 2023 in  Merida, Mexico on April 17, 2023.

People line up to board the U.S. Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft during the Caribbean Hurricane Awareness Tour 2023 in  Merida, Mexico on April 17, 2023. (Image credit: U.S. Air Force)

With the 2024 hurricane season fast approaching, NOAA and the U.S. Air Force Reserve will host a series of events to help Caribbean communities prepare. National Hurricane Center (NHC) personnel along with others, will visit vulnerable communities to discuss hurricane preparedness, resilience and how people can become weather-ready ahead of hurricane season. Tours of the Air Force Reserve Command’s WC-130J “Hurricane Hunter” aircraft will showcase how scientists collect data about hurricanes. 

The Atlantic basin hurricane season begins on June 1. During hurricanes, military aircrews fly state-of-the-art WC-130J aircraft directly into the core of the storm to gather critical data for forecasting a hurricane’s intensity and landfall. The data are sent in real-time via satellite from the aircraft directly to the NHC for analysis and use by hurricane forecasters. 

Image showing 2024 Caribbean Hurricane Awareness Tour information - April 16 – Nassau, Bahamas, April 18 – Barbados, April 19 – St.Lucia, April 20 – Aguadilla, Puerto Rico.
2024 Caribbean Hurricane Awareness Tour dates and locations. (Image credit: NOAA)
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Who

  • Michael Brennan, director, NHC 
  • Daniel Brown, Hurricane Specialist Unit Branch Chief
  • Gladys Rubio, meteorologist NHC 
  • Jose Alamo, meteorologist, NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center International Desk
  • U.S. Air Force reservists from the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron stationed at Keesler Air Force Base, Biloxi, Mississippi 
  • Danielle Varwing, G-IV pilot, NOAA’s Aircraft Operations Center 

When/Where 

  • Tuesday, April 16, 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. – Lynden Pindling International Airport, Nassau, Bahamas 
  • Thursday, April 18, 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. – Grantley Adams International Airport, Barbados 
  • Friday, April 19, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. – Hewanorra International Airport, St. Lucia 
  • Saturday, April 20, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. – Rafael Hernández International Airport, Aguadilla, Puerto Rico 

 

Media contacts

Maria Torres, NOAA, maria.torres@noaa.gov, (305) 433-1933

Lt. Col. Marnee Losurdo, USAF Reserve, 403rd Wing Public Affairs, 403wg.pa2@us.af.mil, (228) 377-2056

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