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
Video shared to social media by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration filmed astonishing footage of their aircraft flying through the eye of Hurricane Irma.
Shared by the NOAA’s Hurricane Hunters’ Twitter, the footage shows one of the aircrafts flying into what is now known as the most powerful Atlantic Ocean hurricane in history.
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“Video of a flight through the eye of [Irma] on [NOAA42]. Flights on both the WP-3D Orion and G-IV [NOAA49] continue,” the caption reads.
The remarkable footage, which has now been retweeted more than 7,000 times and liked more than 9,000, captures rain beating at the airplane’s window, while harsh winds can be heard. After several seconds, the scenery changes and the clouds become less gray, as the sky turns blue and the rain stops.
Earlier this week, the Hurricane Hunters shared another video of the WP-3D flying through the eye of Hurricane Irma for the first time.
Ride along with WP-3D Orion #NOAA42 for the first flight through #HurricaneIrma. Flights continue today. Credit LT Rob Mitchell/NOAA pic.twitter.com/7sjigdNiv7
— NOAAHurricaneHunters (@NOAA_HurrHunter) September 4, 2017
The scenic footage, recorded by Lt. Rob Mitchell, captures the plane soaring through blue skies and white clouds, but quickly changes as the aircraft approaches the eyewall to much dark clouds and rain.
NOAA uses flights to gain “vital radar readings and drop sensors to help forecasters get real-world data” that is necessary to track a storm’s path and intensity. They plan to dispatch flights into Irma for the next few days.
