Hurricane Hunters Fly Into Tropical Storm Isaias As It Strengthens Into Major Hurricane

Gulf of Mexico – Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunters flew into Tropical Storm Isaias on October 7 to collect data from inside the storm, which later strengthened into the first Atlantic hurricane of the 2026 season and became a major hurricane by October 9.

The 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, based at Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi, sent a WC-130J aircraft about 700 miles southwest of Biloxi toward Isaias. The crew dropped instruments known as dropsondes to measure conditions inside the storm and provide data for hurricane forecasts.