Whether seen from within or from space, Hurricane Lee is a monster. There are still many unknowns about the storm’s path and potential impacts on land. A bold crew of Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunters flew a plane into Lee’s eye on Thursday, capturing some impressive video from within the belly of the beast. The footage shows thick clouds around the eye, lit up by flashes of lightning.
The Hurricane Hunters are officially known as the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron. The group operates out of Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi. Specially equipped Super Hercules aircraft are designed to weather hurricane extremes and gather data on a storm’s winds, temperature and structure.
The view from inside the storm complements what satellites are seeing from far above. NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration operate the Suomi NPP weather satellite. It captured a view of Lee on Thursday that shows the storm swirling over the Atlantic Ocean.