Tropical Atlantic
LightNews LightNews
banner
tropicalatlantic.com
Tropical Atlantic
@tropicalatlantic.com
1.7K followers 72 following 61 posts
Hurricane hunter reconnaissance data and models.

Website: https://tropicalatlantic.com/
Backup systems hosted at: @hurricanecity.com

Our site is not affiliated with any governmental entity.
Posts Replies Media Videos
tropicalatlantic.com
The Air Force & NOAA hurricane hunters conducted 33 missions into, and around, #Melissa. Additional information appears in the alternate text for the images.
As what is left of post-tropical cyclone Melissa moves rapidly off into the northern Atlantic east of Canada, we look back at the missions into Melissa as a tropical cyclone. The Air Force and NOAA hurricane hunters conducted 33 missions into, and around, Melissa. They surveyed the storm from the time it was a tropical storm and throughout its rapid intensification into one of the most intense tropical cyclones ever recorded. Its turbulence was so intense at times that multiple aircraft had to return early for safety to be inspected after passing through its intense eyewall. Melissa made landfall at its peak intensity in New Hope, Jamaica with sustained winds of 185 mph and a pressure of 892 millibars. By both metrics Melissa tied, in both sustained wind speed and lowest mean sea level pressure, as the most intense tropical cyclone to ever make landfall on record in the Atlantic. (tying the landfalling wind speed of Hurricane Dorian in 2019 in the Bahamas and tying the landfalling pressure of the Labor Day hurricane in 1935 in the Florida Keys) The hurricane hunters continued their missions into the storm as long as it remained a threat to land as a tropical cyclone. The storm also had impacts in Hispaniola, Cuba, the Bahamas and Bermuda before becoming extratropical and passing east of Newfoundland in Canada. (impacted areas include areas where it did not make landfall) (A description of what appears in the map appears in the alternate text for image two.) Map showing the missions by the Air Force and NOAA hurricane hunters into, and around, Melissa. White circle icons represent either the mean sea level pressure in millibars recorded by a dropsonde released from the plane or the estimated MSLP if that data was not available. This data comes from a vortex data message. In cases where the wind was not calm enough at the center, the actual pressure may be estimated to be lower and that pressure is not reflected on the icon. Wind barbs represent the wind speed and direction from the 30 second flight level wind that is usually reported every 30 seconds in a high density observation. (HDOB message) A dropsonde icon, pictured as a slender tube, is what is used to measure pressure, temperature and dew point as it falls from the aircraft. A dropsonde is released from the aircraft by a tube. The Air Force used multiple Lockheed WC-130J Hercules aircraft while NOAA used a Lockheed WP-3D Orion to survey the storm and penetrate its eye. NOAA also used a Gulfstream IV-SP to sample around the storm. Screenshot from Google Earth. Blue Marble image background from NASA GIBS. World coastlines from Natural Earth. (A description of the historic storm appears in the alternate text for image one.) A closeup of hurricane hunter mission data from around Jamaica showing its rapid intensification as noted by the vortex icons described in the alternate text for image two.
November 1, 2025 at 10:40 AM
tropicalatlantic.com
I was able to find raw sonde. Link is commented out on this page:
www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/Storm_pa...
So that the link doesn't appear. But file still is:
www.aoml.noaa.gov/ftp/hrd/data...

With launch time of 2005/08/28, 14:21:03.92

I included some screenshots of that section. (truncating part of it)
October 30, 2025 at 4:11 AM
tropicalatlantic.com
1:00pm EDT on Oct 28, 2025: #Melissa has made landfall near New Hope, Jamaica with 185mph wind & pressure of 892mb. For wind, ties for strongest landfalling Atlantic hurricane matching Labor Day hurricane in 1935 in Florida Keys & Dorian in 2019 in Bahamas. For pressure, ties for Labor Day hurricane
Satellite image of Hurricane Melissa at landfall in Jamaica from: https://rammb-slider.cira.colostate.edu/
October 28, 2025 at 5:02 PM
tropicalatlantic.com
At 11:15 am EDT, Air Force hurricane hunters posted about returning to Curacao "after encountering heavy turbulence today while entering the eye of Hurricane Melissa". "During the event, the aircraft briefly experienced forces stronger than normal due to turbulence" www.facebook.com/hurricanehun...
"A 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron crew (call sign TEAL 75), known as the Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunters, is returning to it's forward operating location in Curaçao after encountering heavy turbulence today while entering the eye of Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm. During the event, the aircraft briefly experienced forces stronger than normal due to turbulence. While this does not automatically indicate damage, standard safety procedures require an inspection before returning to operations. The 53rd WRS is an Air Force Reserve unit assigned to the 403rd Wing, Keesler Air Force Base, Miss."
October 28, 2025 at 3:31 PM
tropicalatlantic.com
A catastrophic, historical event is about to unfold in Jamaica.

Hurricane warnings are also in effect for parts of eastern Cuba and parts of the Bahamas which will also experience the impact of #Melissa.
Air Force mission through 9:37am EDT. NOAA mission through 9:33am EDT.
October 28, 2025 at 1:51 PM
tropicalatlantic.com
A disclaimer about SFMR estimated wind data will now appear in the recon system's archive page for an HDOB in some cases.
Image with the message: "Disclaimer about estimated surface wind data from the SFMR instrument: SFMR data is estimated based on the Stepped Frequency Microwave Radiometer instrument. Surface winds are estimated from that instrument. At higher values, any available SFMR surface wind data may be less reliable compared to estimates in storms with lesser winds. Please use SFMR readings with caution if they do not correlate well to the flight level wind. This note is automatically made more prominent in our recon system in some cases. It does not necessarily indicate that the data is inaccurate, but instead that the data should be interpreted with more caution."
October 27, 2025 at 8:22 AM
tropicalatlantic.com
Using actual wind radii gives results that do not match NHC due to smoothing not being applied. 1st image is NHC smoothed wind swath. 2nd is wind radii based on forecast advisory history (with interpolation; has bugs) 3rd is a smoothed wind field based on equation from AI. But I want exact NHC code.
From: https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2025/ERIN_graphics.php?product=current_wind Early example of a program I am writing with the help of AI. It still has some bugs in the code that prevent swaths from lining up properly with each segment drawn. You can see how the wind swath in this covers much of Nova Scotia but with the NHC's smoothed wind swath it doesn't. A smoothed wind field at the same forecast point as the first image using an equation generated by AI. A fuller example of an early version of the web based script on a Leaflet map.
August 30, 2025 at 6:08 PM
tropicalatlantic.com
Some of the missions around Gulf of Mexico from Air Force & NOAA recon that occurred in the Atlantic for the 2024 hurricane season.

White icons indicates pressure, in millibars, that was reported in vortex message during center pass of tropical cyclone being investigated. Storm paths also included.
About: This image contains some of the U.S. Air Force and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) hurricane hunter reconnaissance that occurred around the Gulf of Mexico for storms in the North Atlantic basin for the 2024 hurricane season. It only includes the recon our site processed. Each white icon indicates the pressure, in millibars, that was reported in a vortex message during a center pass of the tropical cyclone being investigated. Best track data (storm tracks) is from the Automated Tropical Cyclone Forecasting (ATCF) System. This image may be used with or without attribution for free. Our site is not affiliated with any governmental entity. Credits: • Google Earth Pro (program) • NASA (Blue Marble background) • Natural Earth (world coastlines) • NOAA and U.S. Air Force (raw hurricane hunter text data) • Tropical Atlantic (Google Earth files created from raw hurricane hunter data) About: This image contains some of the U.S. Air Force and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) hurricane hunter reconnaissance that occurred around the Gulf of Mexico for storms in the North Atlantic basin for the 2024 hurricane season. It only includes the recon our site processed. Best track data (storm tracks) is from the Automated Tropical Cyclone Forecasting (ATCF) System. This image may be used with or without attribution for free. Our site is not affiliated with any governmental entity. Credits: • Google Earth Pro (program) • NASA (Blue Marble background) • Natural Earth (world coastlines) • NOAA and U.S. Air Force (raw hurricane hunter text data) • Tropical Atlantic (Google Earth files created from raw hurricane hunter data)
December 2, 2024 at 1:23 PM
tropicalatlantic.com
Some of this year's Air Force & NOAA reconnaissance that occurred in the Atlantic for the 2024 #hurricane season. 163 missions are displayed. (152 tasked by NHC) A variety of other missions occur throughout the year, including winter missions, training missions, research projects & others.
About: This image contains some of the U.S. Air Force and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) hurricane hunter reconnaissance that occurred in the North Atlantic basin for the 2024 hurricane season. The image only contains Atlantic recon. It only includes the recon our site processed: • 152 National Hurricane Center (NHC) tasked missions into storms that were either named at the time or would eventually be named. • 5 non-tasked missions for the same kind of storms. • 2 missions for an area that was, or would eventually become, Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight. (that did not develop into a depression or higher) • 4 total missions into two suspect areas (invests) that did not develop. A variety of other missions occur throughout the year, including winter missions, training missions, research projects and others. Only data from one of the ten Air Force WC-130J, two NOAA P-3 and one NOAA G-IV aircraft appear in the image. This image may be used with or without attribution for free. Our site is not affiliated with any governmental entity. Credits: • Google Earth Pro (program) • NASA (Blue Marble background) • Natural Earth (world coastlines) • NOAA and U.S. Air Force (raw hurricane hunter text data) • Tropical Atlantic (Google Earth files created from raw hurricane hunter data)
December 1, 2024 at 5:55 PM
tropicalatlantic.com
The 2024 Atlantic #hurricane season ended on Nov. 30th. Unless another storm forms this year, the year will end with 18 named storms. For a summary of the 2024 season, see this NOAA article:

www.noaa.gov/news-release...

A summary of the year's hurricane hunter recon is included in the video.
December 1, 2024 at 5:54 PM
tropicalatlantic.com
From National Hurricane Center's 3am CST Sunday discussion on #Sara: Data from Honduras' "government indicate that there has been some reports of around 40 inches of rain. These heavy rains are now spreading westward across portions of Belize, Guatemala, and the Yucatan Peninsula." hurricanes.gov
The image shows "Key Messages" from the National Hurricane Center on this system. "Key Messages", in text format, can be found at the bottom of the National Hurricane Center "Discussion". To find that, click the "Discussion" link in the storm's section on their front page. This image is generated by the National Hurricane Center and can be found under the "Graphics" link on their page in the same storm section where you can find the "Discussion" link.
November 17, 2024 at 10:03 AM
tropicalatlantic.com
4am EST Thursday: T.D. #Nineteen is now a tropical depression. Up to 30 inches of rain is possible. "This rainfall will lead to widespread areas of life-threatening and potentially catastrophic flash flooding and mudslides".
The image shows "Key Messages" from the National Hurricane Center on this system. "Key Messages", in text format, can be found at the bottom of the National Hurricane Center "Discussion". To find that, click the "Discussion" link in the storm's section on their front page. This image is generated by the National Hurricane Center and can be found under the "Graphics" link on their page in the same storm section where you can find the "Discussion" link.
November 14, 2024 at 10:51 AM
tropicalatlantic.com
4pm Wed: National Hurricane Center has initiated advisories on Potential Tropical Cyclone #Nineteen. Watches issued in parts of Honduras & Nicaragua. Up to 30 inches of rain possible. "rainfall will lead to widespread areas of life-threatening & potentially catastrophic flash flooding and mudslides"
The image shows "Key Messages" from the National Hurricane Center on this developing system. "Key Messages", in text format, can be found at the bottom of the National Hurricane Center "Discussion". To find that, click the "Discussion" link under the storm's name on their front page. This image is generated by the National Hurricane Center and can be found under the "Graphics" link on their page in the same place where you can find the "Discussion" link.
November 13, 2024 at 10:06 PM
tropicalatlantic.com
31 hurricane hunter missions in, & around, historic Hurricane #Beryl from June 30th to July 8th, 2024. Beryl became the earliest forming category 5 hurricane on record in the Atlantic basin. It also became the strongest Atlantic hurricane on record in July with 165 mph winds.
A composite image on a map of all 31 hurricane hunter missions into Hurricane Beryl from the Air Force and NOAA hurricane hunters. At each coordinate for which there is data an icon displays either what some of that data is or the type of data available at that particular coordinate. When the data is viewed in Google Earth, where this screenshot was made, a user can click a point to view that data.
July 8, 2024 at 6:18 PM